YuGiOh! How the Grinch Stole Christmas
by Gema J. Gall
Summary: FINISHED The YuGiOh cast in the Dr.SeussJimCarrey classic! MERRY belated CHRISTMAS!
1. The Grinch

Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction  
  
Yu-Gi-Oh! How The Grinch Stole Christmas  
  
By: Gema J. Gall  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or the Grinch. Surprised? Don't be. BTW: This is based off of the Jim Carey version. Shayla is my OC, so hands off; but feel free to read her fic, Shayla's Story. I also don't own Drake or Lara, they belong to E-100 Alpha, who is on vacation and Kevin, who belongs to Edgar.  
  
Gema: Yay! Yay! Yay! It's Christmas time again!!! And that means it is hot cocoa season!  
  
All: NOOOOO!!!!!!!!  
  
Joe: Someone save us!!!  
  
Akhana: How can you be saying that? The fic hasn't even started yet.  
  
Serenity: Who are you? And what's going on?  
  
Tristan: Be happy you managed to escape last year..  
  
Gema: *evil laughter* That won't happen again.  
  
Akhana: Hi! Lady Akhana is the name, and founding member of POF. I am here to.. 'assist' with this fic.  
  
Tristan: Save us!  
  
Akhana: Sorry, I can't.  
  
Gema: She doesn't control the keyboard! I do!!!  
  
Kaiba: What are you planning this year?  
  
Gema: Why spoil it? But be happy, I gave you the lead!  
  
Kaiba: I'll pass. I remember what you did last year.  
  
Gema: You can't! *evil laugh* Now, can you hand me a candy cane for my cocoa?  
  
All: NO!!!!  
  
Akhana: *sweet smile* Here you go. *hands Gema a candy cane.*  
  
Gema: Thanks!  
  
Bakura: Why did you do that?  
  
Akhana: *smiles sweetly*  
  
Mokuba: Seto, I'm afraid.  
  
Kaiba: So am I.  
  
Gema: Don't be! I love you! *hugs Seto*  
  
Kaiba: Gah! Can't...breathe...  
  
Akhana: Gema, remember, he is only a man.  
  
Gema: *nods*  
  
Joe: Now I am afraid.  
  
Shayla: Sorry I'm late. What is going on?  
  
Mai: Your author is stealing your man.  
  
Shayla: What? I don't know what you are talking about.  
  
Gema: Oh the irony.  
  
Shayla: *twitch* I smell hot cocoa...  
  
Tristan: Yeah, and Gema's been in it.  
  
Shayla: Oh no! No...No...No...  
  
Serenity: I still don't get it.  
  
Téa: You will in a few pages...  
  
Kaiba: *Gasp* Give me one good reason why I should go along with this.  
  
Gema: Unlimited bashing of the mutt.  
  
Kaiba: Oh? *Gema whispers in his ear, he glances at Joe.* Deal.  
  
Joe: What was that about?!  
  
Akhana: Be afraid.  
  
Bakura: No! Run for it!!! *Bakura, Joe, and Tristan race away*  
  
Gema: Oh! That is so cute!  
  
Yu-Gi: What is so cute?  
  
Gema: They actually think they can hide from me. *evil laugh*  
  
Téa: Why us?  
  
Akhana: I think it has to do with her Yu-Gi-Oh! addiction.  
  
Téa: Better get Alpha to find POF. Maybe they can control her.  
  
Mokuba: Where is Alpha?  
  
Gema: Dragging Drake and Lara here. *grabs marshmallows*  
  
Yu-Gi: Must you?  
  
Mai: You OD'ed on chocolate last time, although I think some eggnog was involved.  
  
Gema: I don't drink eggnog!!!!!!!  
  
Mai: That does it; we need POF.  
  
Téa: Now.  
  
Duke: I just passed Tristan, Joe, and Bakura on my way in. What is going on?  
  
Mokuba: You're better off marching right back out.  
  
Duke: Huh?  
  
Gema: Hot cocoa goodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgood.  
  
Kaiba: Get her off of me! I can hardly breathe!  
  
Akhana: Forgive her, she's a fan girl.  
  
Duke: Thanks for the advice. *exits*  
  
Serenity and Mokuba: Wait for us! *they run away*  
  
Shayla: The cast is quickly dwindling...I think they are the smart ones!  
  
Mai: No, the smart ones are the ones who didn't even bother to show up.  
  
Gema: I can fix that! I control the keyboard.  
  
Téa: Must you remind us? *typing heard*  
  
*The rest of the cast appears*  
  
Marik: Huh? Where are we?  
  
Ishizu: I did not foresee this.  
  
Odion: What is the meaning of this?  
  
Gema: Merry Christmas and Happy Hot Cocoa!  
  
Marik: Oh no, oh no. Not again. Will someone get that away from her? She killed me off last time before the story even started!  
  
Gema: Good news! No one dies this time!  
  
Yu-Gi: That's good..  
  
Mai: You must be crazy if you think any good can come of this.  
  
Kaiba: *gasp* Can't..breathe....  
  
Pegasus: What a lovely shade of blue, Kaiba-boy.  
  
Kaiba: Must...throttle...  
  
Akhana: Don't make me BH you, Pegasus!  
  
Odion: I am lost. BH?  
  
Akhana: *pulls out large mallet* Baka Hammer! *smiles*  
  
Shadi: Now we should all be concerned.  
  
Téa: I'm running will I still can.  
  
Shayla: Wait for me!  
  
Mai: Me too! *The three of them leave*  
  
Marik: How dare you leave us alone with a sugar-high, fan-girl of an authoress!!!  
  
Ishizu: I foresee us leaving. *Marik, Ishizu, and Odion run*  
  
Pegasus: Wait for me!  
  
Gema: You cannot escape the evil plans I have for you!!!!! *evil laugh*  
  
Akhana: Gee, your whole cast just fled. Except Kaiba, and I think he fainted from your bear hug.  
  
Gema: *smiles* He's so cute when he is sleeping.  
  
Akhana: Don't make me BH you!  
  
Gema: *not listening* Not everyone escaped. I already put some in cages. ^___^  
  
Akhana: Oh? *looks around and sees Bandit Keith in a cage, along with Rex Raptor, Weevil Underwood, Mako Tsunami, Espa Roba, Noah, and Rebecca Hawkins.* *She bursts into laughter*  
  
Mako: Would you mind giving us a hand?  
  
Rex: Yeah! Come on! This is no way to spend Christmas!  
  
Rebecca: Teddy! Do something!  
  
Noah: You'll live to regret this!!!  
  
Gema: You'll only be in there until I need you. *laughs*  
  
Keith: Not funny!  
  
Akhana: That could qualify as cruelty to animals.  
  
Weevil: Take that back!  
  
Akhana: Sorry, I forgot, pests aren't animals.  
  
Weevil: Grrrr!!!!!!!!!  
  
Espa Roba: This is cruel and unusual.  
  
Akhana: Deal with it.  
  
*Alpha enters with Drake and Lara. Edgar brings in Kevin.*  
  
Edgar: I brought him like you asked. Have fun. *winks and exits*  
  
Kevin: What is going on here?  
  
Alpha: It's Christmas.  
  
Drake: OH NO!!!!!  
  
Lara: NOT HOT COCOA!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Drake: Alpha, you are going to pay for this!  
  
Gema: I don't think so. Don't make me put you in the cage.  
  
Lara: Why is Kaiba unconscious?  
  
Akhana: Gema wouldn't let him go.....  
  
Drake: That does it. We're out of here!!! *Drake and Lara run.*  
  
Kevin: *looks around* Wait for me!!!!! *runs after them*  
  
Mako: Hey! Take us with you!!!!  
  
Gema: I think I need more chocolate in this cocoa. The spoon isn't getting stuck in the cup.  
  
Alpha: That was too much information.  
  
Akhana: Gema, everyone who could run did.  
  
Gema: I guess that means it's time to start the fic!!! *walks to keyboard*  
  
Akhana: Goodie!!!!!!  
  
*Kaiba wakes up and picks up Alpha by the collar.*  
  
Alpha: Let me guess, you want me to find POF?  
  
Kaiba: I want you to do anything to stop her before this gets out of control like last time. And you had better do something..  
  
Alpha: Okay, lighten up. It is Christmas...  
  
"Inside of a snowflake like the one on your sleeve," started the narrator.  
  
(Akhana: Hi! It's me folks! Gema gave me a part! Yay! I get to speak in rhyme!!! I do it all the time!)  
  
"There happened a story you must see to believe," continued the narrator. As she speaks the scene pans in. "Way up in the mountains in the high range of Pontous, laid the small town of Whoville, the home of the Whos.  
  
(Gema: Okay, y'all are going to have to excuse my spelling here. I'm so happy I can barely type!)  
  
(Mai: Translation, she is so sugar-high she is shaking.)  
  
(Duke: What's up with these Whos and their weird names?)  
  
(Gema: Don't make fun of the Whos, after all, you are one.)  
  
(Duke: What?!)  
  
(Akhana: Excuse me! I'm narrating!)  
  
"Ask any Who and they'll have this to say, 'There is no place like Whoville around Christmas day,'" continued the narrator. Whoville is extremely decorated with all sorts of things. "Every window was fluffed, every lamppost was dressed, and the Whoville band marched in their Christmas day best."  
  
(Yu-Gi: That seems like over-kill. *noticing the decorations.*)  
  
(Gema: I need more marshmallows.)  
  
(Marik: Now that is overkill!)  
  
(Tristan: Watch when you use the word 'kill' around Gema, it may give her ideas.)  
  
"Arbor Day was fine and Easter was pleasant and every Fizz Pheasant day they ate a fizz pheasant," continued the narrator as she glad at the cast. "But every Who knew from their twelve toes to their snout they like Christmas the most without a single Who doubt."  
  
Inside on of the shops it is a complete madhouse. People are racing around, grabbing last minute gifts. It is packed with wall to wall Whos. The cashiers and clerks can barely keep up.  
  
"Farfingles welcomes you!" greeted the cashier, Kevin, as he checked out another customer. "Merry Christmas! And thank you!"  
  
(Joe: Tough break bro, you got stuck here before you even made it into the main storyline.)  
  
(Kevin: I think I got off easy..*glances at Kaiba, who is unconscious again* *to Gema* I hate to say this, but you can let the poor guy breathe every now and then.)  
  
One Who was roaming around the store and was reading a shopping list, checking off what he bought already. "We got a snoozaphone for your brother Stew and a snoozaphone for your brother Drew. A monkle for your uncle and a pant for your aunt, and a pantha for your cousin Leon.." Drake Lou paused there, realizing his shopping partner was missing. "Yu-Gi Lou? Yu-Gi Lou?"  
  
(Drake: This officially bites! I have a snout!)  
  
(Yu-Gi: I don't like it any more than you do.)  
  
(Gema: Little Yu-Gi Lou Who! *cackles*)  
  
(Mokuba: This is so not cool.)  
  
(Gema: Spell check doesn't think so, either.)  
  
"Merry Christmas," Drake Lou greeted another shopper. "Yu-Gi Lou? Son?"  
  
(Drake: Woah! Run that by me again! Son?!)  
  
(Akhana: Look on the bright side. That means you have a wife.)  
  
(Drake: Ah.um..)  
  
Drake Lou spotted a pile of boxes with legs. He walked over and removed one of the middle boxes, revealing Yu-Gi Lou, who was holding the whole thing up.  
  
"Dad, doesn't this seem a bit much?" asked Yu-Gi Lou.  
  
(Gema: No comments!)  
  
"But this is what Christmas is about," replied Drake Lou to his son's downcast face. "Don't you feel it?"  
  
Things were getting even crazier in the check-out line. Eager buyers pushed in from all over, pouring money into the hands of the clerk. "Merry Christmas!" said a near frantic Kevin. "Thank you! Wait! Don't forget your change!" The buyers were literally dumping their money on him and leaving with their goods.  
  
Outside the timekeeper watched as the large, Whoville clocked ticked closer and closer to the anticipated day. "Another minute closer to Christmas!" yelled Tristan to the Whos below.  
  
(Tristan: One moment. I'm an old guy who watches a clock?)  
  
(Gema: No, you are wherever I want you to be.)  
  
(Tristan: Great..)  
  
(Gema: Not as great as hot cocoa!!!)  
  
(Serenity: I still don't get it. What's wrong with hot cocoa?)  
  
A local merchant decided to take advantage of the holiday crowds. He stepped outside and made an announcement. Kevin cleared his throat.  
  
(Kevin: Wait! One moment ago I was a cashier.)  
  
(Gema: Eh, same difference.)  
  
"For the next five minutes only, 99% off!" announced Kevin. A stampede followed, nearly trampling him in the process.  
  
In the town square Whos of all types were busy decorating the town tree. They had all sorts of various tools to help them put the ornaments on the tip top.  
  
(Gema: Hey! Where are my tree decorators? *Walks over and grabs Tristan and Bakura*)  
  
(Tristan: Lay off! I'm watching a clock.)  
  
(Gema: You've been drafted to tree duty.)  
  
(Bakura: Why me?)  
  
(Joe: Gee, I'd think you'd be used to it by now.)  
  
(Gema: Don't laugh at him until you see what I am going to do to you. *evil laugh*)  
  
(Joe: *gulp*)  
  
(Gema: Now where did I put those chocolate shavings?)  
  
"Yes, every Who down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot," continued Akhana the narrator.  
  
(Mai: If Christmas means a sugar-high authoress, I don't think I like it too much.)  
  
"But the Grinch, who lived just north of Whoville," said the narrator as the scene slowly shifted up the snowy mountain slope, "did not."  
  
The Grinch was watching through a telescope as four teenaged Whos worked their way up the mountains. The two guys were brothers, although they didn't look like it. One had platinum blond hair with a violet tint, the other's hair was black. Their girlfriends were with them, as well. The one girl was blonde and the other had black hair.  
  
"Come on girls! All the good mistletoe is at the top, hey Marik?" called Duke.  
  
"I'll race you, Duke!" Marik replied as the four burst into laughter.  
  
(Duke: Woah!!! Time out!!! Brother?!)  
  
(Marik: What is going on inside that hot cocoa filled head of yours?!)  
  
(Gema: *starts humming and ignores them*)  
  
"Last one to the top is a stinky old Grinch!" joked Marik.  
  
"Guys, where are we?" asked Ishizu as she looked around. "I think we should go back."  
  
"You're scared of the Grinch!" laughed Duke.  
  
"No we're not!" protested Mai.  
  
(Duke: THAT TEARS IT!!! There is no way those two are our girlfriends!!!)  
  
(Marik: She's my sister!!!)  
  
(Gema: Okay, then you can have Mai.)  
  
(Mai: Hey!!! I think I am being insulted here. *looks around* By all of you!)  
  
(Joe: *grumbles* That is just wrong.)  
  
(Ishizu: I fail to see the humor in this.)  
  
(Gema: *starts singing and ignores them.*)  
  
(Mai: Okay, that clinches it. She's been in the eggnog.)  
  
(Gema: I hate eggnog!)  
  
"They say he lives up here in a big cave and only comes down when he has the hunger for the taste of..Who flesh!" said Marik, startling the girls.  
  
"Marik!" exclaimed Mai as she hit him with the back of her hand.  
  
"Guys!" protested Ishizu. The guys broke away laughing.  
  
"You're scared of the Grinch. You're scared of the Grinch! You're scared of the Grinch!" taunted Duke and Marik. Little did they know that the intruder alarm within the Grinch's cave was going off at that very moment.  
  
"Are not!" protested the girls.  
  
"Are too!" countered the guys. The group continued up the mountain, laughing the whole way.  
  
That all came to a very quick halt, though. As Duke and Marik climbed up a ledge they spotted a door in the mountain, the Grinch's front door. They stopped and gawked at it, truly looking nervous. The girls stayed down, peeking over the ledge.  
  
"Come on! Touch it! Touch the door!" dared Mai. Then, in a much more flirty voice she said, "Do it for me, Marik."  
  
(Marik and Mai: This is so not happening!!!)  
  
Marik gave a nervous smile and he and Duke began to step closer to the door. They were taking very small baby steps and shuddering, not from the cold. They were almost to the door when it burst open and a huge green head with blazing eyes jumped out. The four Whos screamed and took off running down the mountain, tripping and falling in the snow as they went.  
  
(Duke: Oh brother.)  
  
(Ishizu: Are you referring to Marik.)  
  
(Joe: Don't tell me you're buying into this sugar-high plot too!)  
  
(Gema: It's your turn, Joseph! *giggles*)  
  
(Joe: Oh no.)  
  
(Akhana: Gema, now you have to let go of Kaiba. He has to act. And besides, he's not supposed to be blue.)  
  
Back at the cave the humongous head that appeared turned out to be no more than a plaster head strapped to the front of the Grinch's dog, Joe. He was barking into a megaphone to enhance his performance.  
  
(Joe: ONE MOMENT!!! I am not a dog!!! I REFUSE to do this! You'll be hearing from my lawyer!)  
  
(Kaiba: *waking up* You don't have a lawyer, mutt.)  
  
(Joe: Grrrr!!!!)  
  
(Gema: That is exactly why I chose you for the part! Oh, let the bashing begin!!!)  
  
(Joe: I'm not doing it!)  
  
(Gema: I thought it might come to this, so I got you something. Akhana, the prayer beads!)  
  
(Akhana: Right. *shoves a necklace around Joe's neck* {For all you Inu- Yasha fans out there..})  
  
(Joe: Hey! What gives!)  
  
(Gema: I get them from Kaede. Allow me to demonstrate... SIT, boy! *Joe crashes to the ground*)  
  
(Joe: Ow...That's not fair.)  
  
(Akhana: Of course it isn't. Now play your part, mutt!)  
  
"Well done, Joe!" complimented Kaiba the Grinch, who was happier about traumatizing Whos than anything. "It serves them right the yuletide- loving, sickening-sweet, nog-sucking, cheer-mongers. I really don't like them. No, no I don't."  
  
(Kaiba: I hate you, I really do.)  
  
(Alpha: Don't hate, it's Christmas!)  
  
(Kaiba: What are you still doing here?! I sent you to get POF!!!)  
  
(Alpha: Ummm..I wanted some cookies before Gema eats them all.)  
  
(Gema: We have cookies!!?!?! *races to find them.*)  
  
(Akhana: Kaiba, I hate to say it, but green isn't your color.)  
  
(Kaiba: *grumbles*)  
  
(Akhana: But it does look better than the various shades of blue you were turning before.)  
  
(Kaiba: You had better stop that hot cocoa drunk friend of yours. *glares*)  
  
(Akhana: I would, but she already promised me a killer Christmas gift if I don't.)  
  
(Joe: And that would be?)  
  
(Akhana: Sit boy! *crash* Oh, we have joint control over all Baka Hammers and prayer beads, for your information.)  
  
"Max! Get my cloak!" ordered the Grinch.  
  
(Joe: Why should I?)  
  
(Akhana: SIT!!! *crash*)  
  
(Joe: *whimper*)  
  
"I've been much too tolerant of these juvenile Who delinquents and their innocent victimless pranks," said the Grinch as he strolled outside and glared at Whoville far below. "So they want to get to know me. They want to spend a little 'quality time' with the Grinch? I guess I could use a little social interaction." An evil smile spread across his face as he thought of the mischief he could accomplish.  
  
(Gema: *walks into room with a stack of chocolate chip cookies* Awe! Seto is smiling!!! *begins to hug the daylights out of him.*)  
  
(Kaiba: *gasps and faints.*)  
  
(Yu-Gi: Here we go again.)  
  
A few minutes later the Grinch had arrived in Whoville via the trash- pipeline which ran the length of the mountain. He wore a large cloak which hid his green complex from the unsuspecting Whos.  
  
(Gema: No, let's change that to a dark trench coat. And sunglasses instead of a mask. *smiles dreamily and begins to eat cookies*)  
  
Kaiba the Grinch was wearing a dark trench coat with the hood pulled up to hide his identity from the Whos. A pair of dark sunglasses hid the rest of his face, so the Whos were clueless to who he really was and what his intentions were. Not that they would have noticed, being so preoccupied with their own shopping and celebrating.  
  
"Merry Christmas!" greeted two Who bikers who were riding tandem.  
  
(Gema: Oh, bikers! *yanks Tristan and Bakura onto the scene*)  
  
(Tristan: What's the idea, I thought I was decorating the tree.)  
  
(Gema: You've been reassigned.)  
  
(Bakura: Who rides bikes in the winter?)  
  
(Akhana: Whos.)  
  
(Bakura: That's what I was asking, who rides bikes in the winter?)  
  
(Akhana: Exactly!)  
  
(Bakura: Exactly what?)  
  
(Akhana: Not Whats, Whos.)  
  
(Bakura: Huh? Who does what?)  
  
(Akhana: Ride bikes in the winter.)  
  
(Bakura: Who rides bikes in the winter?)  
  
(Akhana: Of course. I already answered that.)  
  
(Bakura: You lost me.)  
  
(Akhana: Whos ride bikes in the winter.)  
  
(Bakura: Who does?)  
  
(Akhana: Right!)  
  
(Bakura: What?!)  
  
(Akhana: No, not Whats, Whos.)  
  
(Bakura: Huh?!)  
  
(Gema: Cut it out, Abott and Costella. Um.anyways, back to the plot.)  
  
"Merry Christmas!" greeted Tristan and Bakura, the Who bikers.  
  
"Oh yeah, you bet," said the Grinch, half-heartedly. "Ho, ho, ho and stuff.." The tandem bike had barely passed him when it fell to pieces, dumping its passengers in the street. "Oh my!" he gasped with fake concern. "Someone has vandalized that vehicle!" He turned to his dog, who was walking at his heels. "See, Joe, the city is a dangerous place." The Grinch was busy trying to hide a saw behind his back.  
  
(Joe: You will pay for this, Gema.)  
  
(Gema: Don't be mad, drink cocoa!)  
  
(Kaiba: You'd better behave, mutt. Don't make me get the rolled up newspaper.)  
  
(Joe: How dare you?! You won't get away with talking to me like that!!! Grrrr!!!)  
  
(Kaiba: *smirks* Yes I will, Gema already allowed it.)  
  
(Gema: *eating marshmallows* Yup, I gave him unlimited rights to bash the mutt.)  
  
(Joe: *blink.* *blink* Someone help!!!!!)  
  
"The Grinch hated Christmas, the whole Christmas season," Akhana the narrator picked up the script while the rest of the cast was busy trying to run. "Now please don't ask why, no one quite knows the reason."  
  
"Merry Christmas!" greeted Odion, the local chief of police.  
  
"Hi, flatfoot," muttered Kaiba the Grinch.  
  
(Tristan: Yikes! Whoville must be a very safe place, a crook would just have to look at Odion and have second thoughts.)  
  
(Odion: Thank you..I think.)  
  
(Bakura: EEP! Erm.um..yeah.)  
  
Two Who kids ran by, Mokuba and Noah. The Grinch stopped them.  
  
(Kaiba: *glaring at Noah* What is he doing here?!)  
  
(Gema: Filling in for some of the younger parts.)  
  
(Noah: What is going on?)  
  
(Mokuba: Welcome to a nightmare. You're not the only one who likes torturing people.)  
  
(Kaiba: *to Noah* If you try anything...!!!)  
  
(Gema: Lighten up. *sing-songy* I know something you don't, 'bout Noah. *giggles and starts on the cocoa*)  
  
"I have something for you," said the Grinch as he handed the saw to the boys. "Now be sure to run real fast with it. Come on! Double-time!"  
  
(Kaiba: I hope Noah hurts himself.)  
  
(Noah: Lay off! I'll make you pay!)  
  
(Gema: No you won't! Baka Hammer!!! *BH's Noah*)  
  
(Noah: X___X)  
  
(Kaiba: *looking at Gema reasonably impressed.*)  
  
(Akhana: Can we please focus?)  
  
"It could be that his head wasn't screwed on quite right," continued the narrator, who was getting very annoyed with all of the distractions. "It could be perhaps that his shoes were too tight. But I think that the most likely reason of all may have been that his heart was two sizes too small."  
  
The Grinch was slowly making his way into the heart of town, pushing past people with no concern whatsoever. He accidentally knocked a Who's packages all over the street and walked on as if nothing had happened.  
  
"Hey stranger!" greeted Kevin, the hat salesman. He held a large candy cane cane in front of Kaiba. "Won't let you go 'til you buy a chapeau."  
  
The Grinch glared at him, then pulled out a bottle of expired perfume and sprayed it in his face. Kevin, stunned, slid to the ground. The Grinch then smiled and walked on. The bikers, who had found a second bike, didn't notice the abnormally large speed bump and ran right over it/him in the holiday chaos.  
  
(Kevin: Hey! That was uncalled for!)  
  
(Akhana: In the movie the Grinch used his own bad breath, count your blessings.)  
  
But the Grinch was the only one of interest in the square. Drake Lou and Yu-Gi Lou were still going about their shopping, Drake juggling a large number of packages. The radio, playing Christmas music, of course, could just barely be heard above all of the bustle.  
  
"Boy, nothing beats Christmas, right Yu-Gi Lou?" asked Drake with a big smile.  
  
"I guess.." sighed Yu-Gi Lou.  
  
"You guess?" asked Drake Lou, surprised.  
  
"It just, I look around at you and mom and everyone getting all corbelled," said Yu-Gi Lou. "Doesn't this seem superfluous?"  
  
(Yu-Gi: What the heck is that supposed to mean?)  
  
(Téa: It must be more of those Who words.)  
  
Before Drake Lou could answer, the sound of yelling cut him off. "Dad!!! Daaaddddd!!!" screamed Marik and Duke as they ran into the square with Mai and Ishizu. The four of them were covered in snow from snout to toe. They looked like Who Popsicles.  
  
"What happened to you?!" gasped Drake Lou as he looked at his older two sons.  
  
(Drake: Sons? Sons?! That is so outrageous I can't even begin to argue it!)  
  
(Gema: Then have some cocoa and be happy!)  
  
(Drake: That stuff is poison.)  
  
(Gema: Why are you so grumpy? You have a bigger part this year!)  
  
(Kaiba: Big parts bite. I envy the characters who are killed off.)  
  
(Mai: You don't listen well. No one dies in this one.)  
  
(All: Dang it!)  
  
"It was the Grinch!" yelled Marik and Duke. The affect that one word had was amazing. Cars came to a screeching halt. Walkers stopped. Talking ceased. It was like the entire square had been frozen in time. Everyone had inhaled, and were waiting to breathe.  
  
"Grinch!?" a few Whos dared to gasp.  
  
"What do you want?!" snapped Kaiba the Grinch. Then he remembered he was in disguise. "I mean..Grinch?!"  
  
Out of a nearby shop the mayor of Whoville exited, looking around the square cautiously. His loyal flunky, Bandit Keith, was at his heels, worse than any dog, even Joe.  
  
(Joe: Hey!!!)  
  
"Did someone just say Grinch?" asked Mayor Pegasus May Who. He looked around, as if daring anyone to say 'yes.'  
  
(Joe: Pegasus is the mayor?! How's that for unfair!!!)  
  
(Akhana: Just be quiet until you see what Gema is planning for him. *Gema is heard laughing evilly.*)  
  
(Keith: I refuse to do this! I am no one's lap dog!)  
  
(Gema: You don't have a choice. Baka Hammer!!!)  
  
(Keith: X___X)  
  
(Pegasus: Well, considering this is the only position with power, I might as well play along, for now. *Akhana and Gema burst into laughter, making him nervous.)  
  
"Hello Mayor May Who, sir," stammered Drake Lou, knowing that this was going to be a hard situation to get out of.  
  
"Drake," said Pegasus as he motioned for Drake Lou to come over. Drake Lou did, a little nervous. He put an arm around Drake Lou and started talking to him in a low tone. "I don't need to remind you that this Christmas marks the 1000th Whovillation."  
  
(Keith: I won't do it!!!)  
  
(Akhana and Gema: Baka Hammer!!!)  
  
(Keith: X___X)  
  
"Whoville's most important celebration," chimed Keith, somewhat reluctantly.  
  
"The Book of Who says," started Mayor Pegasus. He held his hand back as Keith slipped the book to him. Mayor Pegasus quickly found the page he was looking for. "'Every Who whose size we can measure knows that Christmas time is a time we must treasure.' Now Lou please tell me that your boys were not up on Mt. Crumpit provoking the one creature within a billion balameters of here who hates Christmas."  
  
"But it was the Grinch!" insisted Marik and Duke, with Ishizu and Mai nodding feverously behind them.  
  
"No, no, no, sir!" exclaimed Drake Lou as he clamped his son's snouts shut. "There isn't any Grinch."  
  
"But there is!" insisted Duke.  
  
"We saw him!" added Marik.  
  
Drake Lou put his hand over their mouths again. "I am sure they were just up on the mountain playing with matches or defacing public property or something like that."  
  
(Duke: This is definitely cruel and unusual.)  
  
(Marik: Where is my Millennial Rod?!)  
  
(Gema: Sorry, no Millennial Items are allowed in this fic.)  
  
Mayor Pegasus exhaled at that. "Well, that's a relief," he said. Then, louder, "All right, you heard the man, there is no Grinch problem here!"  
  
The square then broke back into its usual frenzy of Christmas activities. The Grinch had perched himself on a ledge and spit a spitwad at the mayor when he wasn't looking. The mayor looked around, but Kaiba the Grinch had disappeared into the crowd again.  
  
(Shayla: Yup, you can tell he's a politician, he's a dirty liar.)  
  
(Pegasus: Oh yes, the blind girl from the Duelist Kingdom. *glance over at her* How come you can see now?)  
  
(Gema: Because I say so! And I have the keyboard. Now, you might want to be nice to her because..*starts laughing*)  
  
(Shayla: I'm scared.)  
  
(Mai: Aren't we all?)  
  
Drake Lou and Yu-Gi Lou quickly finished with their shopping. From there they headed straight to the post office to help with the holiday rush. The post office was even more chaotic than the streets, if that was even possible. Whos juggling large boxes pressed in around the counter, all wanting overnight shipping.  
  
(Gema: Oh costumers! *snaps fingers and Mako, Rex, Weevil, and Espa Roba appear.)  
  
(Mako: What do you want.)  
  
(Gema: I need the lot of you to stand in the background during crowd scenes.)  
  
(Rex: You mean we're extras?)  
  
(Gema: Yup.)  
  
(All: YES!!!)  
  
(Téa: No fair! How come they got off easy.)  
  
(Gema: I think I'll try nutmeg in my cocoa this year.)  
  
(All: *groan*)  
  
"Drake Lou! I need this there by tomorrow!" called Mako Who.  
  
"Check! Rush! Merry Christmas!" called Drake Lou as he passed the present to the back.  
  
"By tomorrow!" called Espa Roba Who, who was juggling a large number of boxes.  
  
"Check! Double rush!" said Drake Lou as he took the boxes from him. The whole room degenerated into even worse chaos as more and more people tried to push their way forward.  
  
Drake Lou headed into the back where Yu-Gi Lou was waiting. Drake Lou began to sort through the massive amount of holiday mail while Yu-Gi Lou started asking him questions.  
  
"But dad," said Yu-Gi Lou. "I don't understand something. Why won't anyone talk about the Grinch?"  
  
Drake had climbed onto a rolling ladder as was busy sliding back and forth, putting mail in mailboxes. "Because the Grinch..." he tried to explain, but it wasn't easy. "You see Yu-Gi, he Grinch is a Who who..." Drake paused there and slid across the room, searching for the right words to explain everything. " Actually, he's not a Who, he's.. more of a ..."  
  
"A what?" asked Yu-Gi Lou, a bit impatiently.  
  
"Exactly son!" said Drake Lou. "And he's a What that doesn't like Christmas. Just look at his mailbox, not a Christmas card in or out, ever." He indicated a mailbox that was stuffed full with cobwebs.  
  
"But why?" asked Yu-Gi Lou.  
  
Before Drake Lou could answer, much yelling could be heard from the counter as impatient Whos tried to ship their last minute mail.  
  
"I'll be right there!" yelled Drake Lou as he took off to the front to see to the problem.  
  
Meanwhile, in an adjacent room, the Grinch was busy creating holiday chaos. How he had managed to sneak in the chaos, no one could really guess. Then again, maybe it was the chaos that allowed him to sneak in.  
  
"It will take them years to sort this out!" Kaiba the Grinch snickered as he began to take mail from one box and put it in another. "This is yours and now it's his and this is his and now it's hers," he laughed evilly as he enjoyed his prank. "And for the rest of you.." He pulled out a stack of envelopes from under his trenchcoat. "Jury duty! Jury Duty! Jury Duty! Eviction notice! Pink slip! Blackmail! Jury Duty! Chain letter! Jury Duty! Jury Duty!" He threw them into random mailboxes, an evil smile on his face.  
  
(Gema: Oh WOW!!!!!)  
  
(Mai: Now what?)  
  
(Gema: This is good hot cocoa! No, I mean it is excellent!)  
  
(Marik: Someone please save us.)  
  
(Gema: I started a new box, cause I drank all the old stuff. This is called 'Chocolate Sensation.' Oh my gosh! It's to die for!)  
  
(Mai: Chocolate Sensation?)  
  
(Gema: It has 50% more cocoa than regular hot cocoa. *big starry eyes*)  
  
(Marik: We are all doomed.)  
  
Drake Lou was up to his eyes in holiday mail, so he turned to Yu-Gi Lou. "Would you mind helping me and take these letters to the back?" Drake Lou asked, handing the letters to his youngest son. Yu-Gi Lou nodded. "But be careful of the sorting machine, right?" Yu-Gi Lou nodded again and took the letters as Drake Lou turned around to deal with the Christmas crowd.  
  
(Rex: Post Office service stinks. We've been waiting here for hours.)  
  
(Espa Roba: It is starting to tire me.)  
  
(Gema: That is what I told you to do, so SHUT UP!!!)  
  
(Extras: EEP!)  
  
Yu-Gi Lou entered the backroom, letters in hand. The sorting machine stood in the middle of the room. It was mostly a conveyer belt that took the packages to the basement to be sorted, hence the name. There was a large hole in the floor where the packages fell. The hole narrowed as it went, so the packages were piling up. Bit of packaging material lined the room. Other than that it was completely empty. Yu-Gi Lou stared at the sorting machine, slowly circling around it.  
  
Something on the floor caught his eye. He bent down and picked it up. It was a pair of sunglasses. Yu-Gi looked at them curiously, then shrugged his shoulders. Right above him was Kaiba the Grinch, bracing himself against the wall and ceiling. He was also holding Joe the mutt, knowing that Joe would give him away.  
  
(Tristan: How true, how true.)  
  
(Joe: Hey! And that mutt line was uncalled for!)  
  
(Gema: Don't make me say it.)  
  
(Joe: Say what?)  
  
(Gema: Sit. *Crash* Oops.)  
  
Just when the Grinch thought that Yu-Gi Lou would move on, Joe sneezed. "Bless you." As those words slipped off of his lips, Yu-Gi Lou turned and looked up. Then he screamed. Kaiba, mockingly, screamed back, which caused Yu-Gi Lou to scream again. Kaiba jumped down, dropped Joe, and glared at the tiny Who.  
  
"You're the.. the... the... the... the...," stammered Yu-Gi Lou.  
  
"..the ...the ..the," mocked Kaiba. "The Grinch!"  
  
Yu-Gi Lou screamed again and jumped backwards. His foot hit the end of the sorting machine and he fell in backwards into it. A package fell on top of him and he was quickly trapped in the hole, which led to the basement and the rest of the sorting process.  
  
"Well, that worked out nicely," commented Kaiba, surprised but remotely happy.  
  
"Help!" cried Yu-Gi Lou as he tried to struggle free. He only seemed to manage to force himself deeper in. As he sank further into the machine, he learned why mail never survives the post office. The sorting machine led the packages to a large stamp that marked them as FRAGILE, but it crushed them in the process, and Yu-Gi Lou was heading right for it! "Somebody help me!"  
  
(Kaiba: I am beginning to like this.)  
  
(Téa: *disgusted* You have no heart.)  
  
(Mokuba: That's not true!)  
  
(Gema: I think everyone needs a cup of cocoa to calm down.)  
  
(All: NO!!!!!)  
  
"Joe, let's go," said Kaiba the Grinch. "Our work here is finished."  
  
Joe looked from the sorting machine and trapped Yu-Gi Lou, back to Kaiba the Grinch who was attempting to leave. He then raced forward and grabbed the Grinch's ankle, preventing him from leaving.  
  
"Let go!" yelled the Grinch as he tried to wriggle free of Joe's grip. "This is not a game!"  
  
Yu-Gi Lou was sinking further into the machine. He was dangerously close to the crushing stamp. He screamed, the called for help again.  
  
Kaiba the Grinch looked at his dog, to the foot of the Who boy, which was the only thing not buried. He groaned. "Bleeding hearts of the world unite!"  
  
(Kaiba: How true is that.)  
  
(Gema: Very true, very very true.)  
  
(Téa: What is that supposed to mean?)  
  
(All: *sigh*)  
  
(Mai: Your friendship speeches are legendary, hon.)  
  
The Grinch walked over, reached into the machine, and pulled Yu-Gi Lou out, then set him on his feet. Joe jumped up and down happily. The Grinch glared at both of them, then snatched his sunglasses out of Yu-Gi Lou's hands.  
  
"Give me that! Don't you know you're not supposed to take things that don't belong to you? What are you, some sort of wild animal?" snapped Kaiba. Yu-Gi Lou stood there stunned, then shook his head an inch. Kaiba the Grinch turned to Joe. "Let's go!"  
  
The Grinch and Joe turned to leave. They were almost to the door when Yu- Gi Lou found his voice.  
  
"Thank you for saving me!" he called after them.  
  
Kaiba came to a dead halt. He slowly turned around, glaring at the young Who. "Saving you? Is that what you think I was doing?" Kaiba the Grinch asked in a low voice. Yu-Gi Lou nodded eagerly. Kaiba shook his finger, "Wrong-o. I merely noticed you were improperly packaged." He reached over and grabbed the roll of wrapping paper in the corner. He walked over and threw it over Yu-Gi Lou. "Hold still!" ordered the Grinch as he began to wrap the Who feverously. He turned to the mutt. "Max, pick out a bow!" Then he turned to Yu-Gi Lou. "Can I use your finger for a second?" A few seconds later, Yu-Gi Lou was trapped within shiny red paper.  
  
His work done, Kaiba the Grinch left, cackling. As he shut the door he put his sunglasses back on. Joe walked quietly at his heels.  
  
"Help! Anyone!" called Yu-Gi Lou. "Hello?!"  
  
Drake Lou entered the backroom, trying to find what had happened to his son. "Yu-Gi Lou?" he called.  
  
"Dad?!" cried Yu-Gi Lou as he managed to break his arms out of the package. "Daddy! Daddy!"  
  
"What the hey?" asked Drake Lou as he walked over and helped his son unwrap himself. A smile was spreading across his face. "Yu-Gi?!"  
  
"Dad! It was amazing!" Yu-Gi started to blab.  
  
"You've been practicing your Christmas wrapping!" said Drake Lou, proudly. "Son, I am so proud of you!"  
  
"Oh...well.." stammered Yu-Gi Lou, not knowing how to explain everything to his dad.  
  
"That's the holiday spirit!" Drake Lou continued to beam.  
  
"Sweet little Yu-Gi didn't know what to do," said Akhana the narrator. "In his head tumbled a conflict or two. If the Grinch was so bad, then why did he save me? Maybe he wasn't so bad...just...maybe."  
  
Gema: First chapter done!!!  
  
All: Thank goodness! *they start looking for ways to run*  
  
Drake: This is so bizarre I can't even begin to complain about it.  
  
Akhana: Then don't.  
  
Drake: How can I have two sons who are the same age as me?!  
  
Lara: *chuckles* I think a man who can take care of kids is attractive.  
  
Drake: Eh-hem..  
  
Joe: Looks like we need to find them some mistletoe.  
  
Drake and Lara: Hey!  
  
Gema: Double, double cocoa and trouble, fire burn and liquid bubble! *laughs*  
  
Tristan: Guys, she's singing to the hot cocoa maker...  
  
Bakura: I'm scared.  
  
Tristan: Aren't we all.  
  
Kaiba: I am fed up with this! *starts to walk away*  
  
Gema: There he is!!! *hugs him* I missed you while you were on stage.  
  
Kaiba: Let...go...can't breathe...  
  
Mai: Will someone please keep her away from the eggnog?  
  
Gema: IT'S COCOA!!!!!!  
  
Téa: Mai, let's bail.  
  
Mai: Right. *Most everyone else runs*  
  
Yu-Gi: *pouting* Why do I always get the short rolls?  
  
Akhana: Gee...I wonder.  
  
Kaiba: *gasp*  
  
Akhana: Gema, let the poor guy breathe.  
  
Gema: *sigh* Okay..*lets go of Kaiba*  
  
Alpha: *laughing* First he's blue, then he's green, then he's blue again!  
  
Kaiba: I thought I sent you to find POF!!!  
  
Alpha: I will...eventually.  
  
Kaiba: *glare*  
  
Alpha: Hey, I have one job here and that is to make sure that POF arrives in time for the final bow.  
  
Kaiba: The final bow?!  
  
Alpha: *laughing* I have no intention of stopping this thing, blue-boy.  
  
Kaiba: Why you!!!  
  
Gema: I can't let him go!!! *hugs Kaiba again*  
  
Kaiba: *gasps and faints*  
  
Akhana: We need to work on your men skills, Gema.  
  
**************************************************************************** ** 


	2. His Past

Gema: Chapter two!!! Here we go!!!!!  
  
Mai: Thanks for the warning, let's go! *all who can run, run.*  
  
Akhana: Gema, you are scaring them.  
  
Gema: *starts singing*  
  
Kevin: How many cups has she had?  
  
Akhana: Three by my count.  
  
Shayla: Only three?! I don't believe you.  
  
Akhana: Her cup holds a gallon.  
  
Shayla and Kevin: O.O Three gallons of hot cocoa?!?!?!  
  
Drake: We are all doomed.  
  
Gema: *laughing* See, taking ceramics has its uses.  
  
All: O.O,  
  
Gema: BEAN ME!!! *hits empty mug on table*  
  
All: NOOO!!!!  
  
Alpha: These cookies are good..  
  
Gema: Cookies?! Gimme!!!!!!  
  
Alpha: Eep!!! *runs*  
  
Akhana: Can we focus?  
  
Shayla: Not when Gema has cocoa.  
  
Lara: Well, you'd better get her off of your man, he's spent enough time unconscious during this fic already.  
  
Shayla: I have no idea what you are talking about.  
  
Akhana: *chuckles* You will. *walks over to Kaiba* Good thing I brought smelling salts. *wakes him up*  
  
Kaiba: *groan* Where am I?  
  
Gema: Okay, places people!!!  
  
All: NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!  
  
Drake Lou and Yu-Gi Lou pulled into their driveway that evening after their shopping. The Who house seemed dark and deserted. Duke Lou and Marik Lou were off at their girlfriends', and their mother appeared not to be home.  
  
"No lights on in the house, your mom must be out shopping," said Drake Lou to his youngest son. As he said those words the Christmas lights around the house blinked on.  
  
Lara Lou Who appeared on the roof, holding another tangled strand of lights. She looked down at her husband and son and cried "Oh! I am so glad you're home! I can feel it Drake Lou. This is the year! When everyone asks who has the most spectacular lights in all of greater Whoville, they're going to cry out Mrs. Lara Lou Who!"  
  
(Lara: Okay, I'm obsessed with lights..like that is logical.)  
  
(Gema: I gave you the married part again.)  
  
(Lara: *giggles* Drake, that means we don't need mistletoe any more.)  
  
(Drake: Eh-heh..*bashfully* that is great.)  
  
(Gema: See, I do know what I am doing.)  
  
(Drake: Just don't drive any cars or operate any heavy machinery.)  
  
(Yu-Gi: But they aren't my parents!!!)  
  
Drake Lou reached down and picked up something in his wife's pile of lights. "Isn't this the chandelier from the dining room?"  
  
"It's all for the cause, dear," stated Lara Lou as she pulled a strand to the roof. Drake Lou nodded half-heartedly.  
  
Lara Lou turned to her tiniest son, "Yu-Gi Lou, could you be mommy's little helper and unscrew the bulb there from the refrigerator. Somehow I missed that one."  
  
Yu-Gi Lou looked at his dad for advice. "Go on; humor your mother," said Drake Lou as he gestured for Yu-Gi to go in. Yu-Gi Lou shrugged and walked inside the dark house with an armload of packages.  
  
Lara Lou was muttering to herself as she worked on the roof, "Every year Shayla May Whovié has the best lights. Well, not this year. This year I'm going to beat that prim, perfect, little prissy..."  
  
She was cut off as her neighbor called from below, "Lara! Hi!" called Shayla May. She was standing on her porch, her house lights almost all in place. She wore a slightly revealing Mrs. Claus outfit, which meant she was going to a Christmas party soon.  
  
"Shayla!" gasped Lara, turning.  
  
(Shayla: I won't do it!!! This part is wrong!!! And there is not enough fabric on this thing for winter!!!)  
  
(Gema: You'll thank me later.)  
  
(Shayla: If you weren't my authoress, I'd hit you!)  
  
(Kevin: You look good, Shayla.)  
  
(Shayla: *glares and grumbles*)  
  
(Gema: Why is no one in the Christmas spirit but me?)  
  
(All: *glare*)  
  
"I have never seen so many beautiful Christmas lights Lara Lou," called Shayla May, but it was hard to tell if she was being sincere or not.  
  
"Well, I'd blow every fuse if I tried to keep up with you, Shayla May," replied Lara Lou, in the same tone.  
  
Shayla May held up a beautiful crystalline ornament that was about 6" long. "Isn't this antique darling?" she asked. "It's handcrafted and almost 100 years old."  
  
Lara Lou started muttering sarcastically under her breath, half out of jealousy. "Geesh, I'm really impressed."  
  
"This, however," said Shayla May as she walked over to something covered in a sheet, "is brand new." She pulled of the sheet to reveal a Christmas light applier.  
  
Lara Lou's eyes went wide. "Oh..." she moaned, awed.  
  
Shayla May started the machine. It began firing Christmas lights like a machine gun. As she aimed, they applied themselves perfectly to the arch above her door, all in a manor of seconds.  
  
Lara Lou, still stunned, continued to lean further and further to watch. Soon she was leaning off of the roof, only supported by the strand of lights she was holding. Drake Lou, who was holding the other end at the ground, was almost lifted off of his feet as he tried to keep his wife from falling.  
  
"Woah! Hey Lara!" he called, trying to get her attention. "Lara!"  
  
"Oh..." moaned Lara Lou again, not listening to him.  
  
Shayla May finished and walked over to the front of the machine. She blew the smoke out of the pipe. "Well, good night, Lara." With that she walked inside to finish getting ready for her party.  
  
(Shayla: Great! I'm a snob! The part doesn't fit!)  
  
(Gema: Marshmallow?)  
  
(Shayla: *warily* I don't think so.)  
  
(Gema: More for me. *dumps the whole bag into her mug*)  
  
(Shayla: *twitch* I'm leaving. *runs*)  
  
(Gema: I get that a lot...)  
  
Later that night the Lou Whos had managed to light their house with candles, considering every available bulb was on the roof. As Drake Lou held a large candelabra as he walked up the stairs. Then the phone rang. He raced to answer it, fighting his wife for that privilege.  
  
The person on the other end started speaking.  
  
Drake Lou answered, "Is my subzero chillabrater running? I suppose..."  
  
On the other end Kaiba the Grinch yelled, "Well then you'd better go catch it!" He slammed the pay phone back in its cradle, leaving a very confused Drake Lou and Lara Lou. The town square was still remotely busy, and no one noticed the Grinch.  
  
"That's a good one," he chuckled. "That's rich."  
  
(Kaiba: No, it's lame!)  
  
Kaiba turned to his mutt, "Let's go home."  
  
(Joe: *grumbles* This is demeaning!)  
  
(Kaiba: *laughing* It fits you, puppy!)  
  
(Joe: Take that back!!! *raises fist*)  
  
(Gema: Sit boy! *Crash!* *Hugs Kaiba* Aren't you glad I'm on your side?)  
  
(Kaiba: Urk! *gasp*)  
  
The two of them walked over to the trashpipe, which would take them back to their home. Joe put his paws on the rim.  
  
"Ah! Beauty before fleas!" scolded Kaiba. He stepped into the pipe.  
  
(Kaiba: Ha! How true!)  
  
(Joe: *grumbles* You will pay for that!)  
  
(Gema: Don't make me say it!)  
  
(Joe: *whimper*)  
  
(Yu-Gi: Go easy on him!)  
  
(Duke: Huff! I think she stole my dog suit idea...)  
  
"Come on! Hurry up slow poke!" snapped Kaiba the Grinch. Joe hopped into. Kaiba hit a button on the side of the pipe. The lid slammed shut and a powerful force began to pull them up the mountain.  
  
They landed in the Whoville dump, which wasn't too far from the Grinch's cave. A mattress had been placed under the end of the pipe by the Grinch, because he used this mode of transportation more often than not.  
  
Kaiba the Grinch glared at Joe. "A car would have paid for itself by now," he snarled. Before Joe could cower, the sounds of another load of garbage coming up the pipe could be heard.  
  
"Oh goodie," muttered Kaiba. "Another load coming down."  
  
A pile of computer parts tumbled out of the pipe, burying Joe the mutt. Kaiba looked at them and smiled. He grabbed a box. The parts were damaged, but repairable.  
  
"Joe! Grab a box!" he ordered. "Well come back for the rest later." They started up the path to their home. "And by us I mean you. .. It's amazing what these whos just throw away." Joe barked in protest. He knew he was stuck.  
  
(Joe: Boy am I ever..)  
  
"Shut up!" snapped the Grinch as he trudged to his front door.  
  
Meanwhile, back in Whoville, Yu-Gi Lou was having a hard time sleeping.  
  
"There was something this Christmas that didn't feel right," said Akhana the narrator. "While every Who felt glad, he felt sad; and that's not how Christmas is supposed to be."  
  
He looked up the slope of Mt. Crumpit towards the Grinch's cave. Then he began to sing.  
  
(Yu-Gi: Sing?! Absolutely not!!!! I'm out of here!!! *tries to run*)  
  
(Gema: Oh no you don't! *loops him with a three feet candy cane.* Now sing!!!)  
  
(Yu-Gi: Why me?)  
  
(Gema: *puts candy cane in hot cocoa*)  
  
(All: O.O;)  
Where are you Christmas?  
Why can't I find you?  
Why have you gone away?  
My world is changing, I'm rearranging.  
Does that mean Christmas changes to?  
  
Where are you Christmas?  
Do you remember, the one you used to know?  
You and I were so carefree, now nothing's easy.  
Did Christmas change, or just me?  
  
(Gema: There, that wasn't too bad. Now, where did I put that can of marshmallow fluff?)  
  
(Mai: No more sugar for you!)  
  
(Gema: You can't do that to me! I control the keyboard!!!)  
  
(Téa: She vibrating..)  
  
(Gema: So?)  
  
Back in the Grinch's have he put the old cardboard boxes on a catapult and fired it at a large picture of Mayor Pegasus May Who. It was a direct hit.  
  
"Sweet!" he exclaimed. Then he walked over to a large drop off, which gave him a bird's eye view of the lower levels of his home. He started humming to himself, "be it ever so heinous there's no place like...home!" On his command all his machines came to life, bathing the rooms in eerie green light. He had built every single one and they all worked virtually flawlessly.  
  
(Kaiba: Of course they would.)  
  
(Gema: See, this part is perfect for you!)  
  
(Kaiba: *mutters*)  
  
(Shayla: *grumbles* Pity you weren't as good a cast director for the rest of us.)  
  
"1st floor, factory rejects!" said Kaiba the Grinch as he took the escalator down. "Whos are hard to frazzle, Joe. But we did our worst, and that's all that matters." Joe nodded and rolled his eyes. " I scared the bejeevales out of that little boy at the post office. With any luck he'll be scarred for life if we're lucky."  
  
(Tristan: Another Who word there...)  
  
"Funny he didn't rat on us, though," said Kaiba the Grinch after a moment's thought. He put his house robe on. "Must be afraid of reprisals."  
  
"Get the stick Joey! See the stick! Go get the stick!" said the Grinch as he waved his hand under Joe's nose.  
  
(Joe: You have got to be kidding me..)  
  
(Gema: DO IT!!!!)  
  
(Joe: Eep!)  
  
Kaiba made a motion like he was throwing something. Joe raced off to retrieve it.  
  
"There is no stick.." snickered Kaiba the Grinch. "I'm smarter."  
  
(Kaiba: No need to state to obvious.)  
  
Kaiba flopped down on his bed and hit a button on his answering machine. "Any calls?"  
  
"You have no messages," replied the answering machine in a mechanical voice.  
  
"Odd.." commented the Grinch. "Better check the outgoing.." He hit another button.  
  
His message played, "If you utter so much as one syllable I'll hunt you down and gut you like a fish! If you'd like to fax me press the star key." Kaiba nodded nonchalantly.  
  
"Oh well."  
  
Next, he reached up and grabbed the zip line. It ran from his bedroom to the main room. He flew right into his favorite armchair.  
  
(Gema: *drools* That was amazing!!!)  
  
(Kaiba: Stay away from me!)  
  
(Gema: *smiles innocently.*)  
  
(Kaiba: *gulp*)  
  
"That's more like it," he sighed contently as he laid back. He reached next to the chair and popped open a bottle of root beer.  
  
He looked over at his dog, who was lying in the corner, "I tell you Joe, I don't know why I ever leave this place. I've got all the company I need right here."  
  
"Hello!" called the Grinch, his voice echoing off of the stone walls.  
  
"Hello!"  
  
"How are you?"  
  
"How are you?"  
  
"I asked you first!"  
  
"I asked you first!"  
  
"Oh, that's really mature, saying exactly what I say!"  
  
"Oh, that's really mature, saying exactly what I say!"  
  
The Grinch glared at the walls, then smiled. "I'm an idiot!"  
  
"You're an idiot!" came the echo.  
  
Kaiba, shocked, crossed his arms defiantly.  
  
"All right, fine! I'm not talking to you! In fact, I'm going to whisper, so by the time my voice reverberates off of the walls and gets back to me, I won't be able to hear it!" he snapped in a very hushed tone.  
  
It was silent for a moment, then a reply came back, "I love you!" It sounded strangely like the voice of a sugar-high authoress. Kaiba the Grinch cringed.  
  
(Kaiba: I'll get a restraining order!!!!)  
  
(Gema: *big starry eyes* What's that? *continues to drink cocoa.*)  
  
(Kaiba: *shudder*)  
  
The Grinch started to chug his drink. "Am I just doing this because I'm bored?"  
  
Later the next day two elderly ladies were surprised by a knock on their door. A small boy with hair like a tri-colored porcupine stood outside.  
  
"Hello little boy, are you here to read to us?" asked the eldest, Téa Rose Who.  
  
(Téa: What?! I'm..I'm old!!!)  
  
(Gema: That's what you get for not drinking hot cocoa, the drink of youth!)  
  
(All: -.-;)  
  
"No," answered Yu-Gi Lou as he held up a newspaper. He also had a large tape recorder hanging from his shoulder. "I hear you know some things about the Grinch." The Grinch's picture was plastered on the front page of this edition.  
  
"Yu-Gi Lou had some questions in her curious heart," said Akhana the narrator. "Why did the Grinch hate Christmas? Where did it all start? For his dad's blab-a-corder he wouldn't give an inch."  
  
"In your own words," said Yu-Gi Lou as he held up the mic of the tape recorder, "please tell me everything you know about the Grinch. Where did he come from?"  
  
"Well, he came the way all Who babies come," answered Téa Rose.  
  
"On calm nights baby Who girls and tiny Who fellows drift from the sky in their own who pumbersillas," explained the second, Serenity Iris Who.  
  
(Serenity: Me?! But...but.....but....)  
  
(Joe: Leave her alone!!! Grrrr!!!!)  
  
(Akhana: My turn, Gema. Sit boy! *Crash*)  
  
(Serenity: I understand...I don't like her on cocoa either.)  
  
(Mai: Welcome to the bandwagon kid..well, sorta.)  
  
"Oh, so that's how it works," said Yu-Gi Lou.  
  
(Akhana: A new level of naïveté is reached.)  
  
"It was Christmas Eve and a strange wind blew that night," explained Téa Rose.  
  
*Flashback..narration continues*  
  
The Grinch, now only a baby, was floating down in a large basket connected to an umbrella. As he landed on a doorstep, he got caught in a tree.  
  
"We were having our annual holiday get-together," said Serenity Iris. Inside they were partying like there was no tomorrow. The Grinch watched, but no one noticed him. He started to cry.  
  
"It was morning before anyone realized he was out there," sighed Téa Rose.  
  
"Poor dear," sighed Serenity Iris.  
  
"But you know what. We knew right away that he was special," added Téa Rose.  
  
They took him inside and raised him as their own child. Kaiba sat in a high chair the next breakfast. Téa Rose held a platter of Christmas cookies.  
  
"Do you want a Christmas cookie?" asked Serenity Iris, in a voice reserved to speaking to babies.  
  
"Which Christmas cookie do you want?" asked Téa Rose.  
  
"Santa!" chimed the Grinch.  
  
"Oh! His first word!" exclaimed Serenity Iris, proudly.  
  
"Yes, that is a Santa plate! Do you want to hold the Santa plate?" asked Téa Rose as she passed it to him.  
  
"Santa," said the Grinch again, then he pulled off Santa's head, breaking solid porcelain. "Bye-bye." He smiled. The ladies looked at one another, stunned.  
  
"He was a wonderful..well, whatever he was," said Serenity Iris.  
  
The Grinch grew up and soon he was in school. He sat in the back of the class, doodling in his notebook.  
  
"And we raised him like any other who child, with a deep love of Christmas," added Téa Rose.  
  
The Grinch was drawing a picture of Santa's sled being target by missiles, all of his own design.  
  
(Kaiba: And they work too! But Kaiba Corp. no longer makes weapons. We are a gaming company.)  
  
(Gema: *Hugs* I love you!!!)  
  
(Kaiba: *gasp*)  
  
"Tomorrow is our big gift exchange. Everyone bring a special gift for a special someone," said the teacher, Rebecca Who. The Grinch rolled his eyes.  
  
(Rebecca: Me?! Why me?!)  
  
(Gema: You're the last female in the series.)  
  
(Rebecca: *grumbles* Save us Teddy!)  
  
"The Grinch?" asked Shayla May as Yu-Gi Lou interviewed her too.  
  
"Yeah," said Yu-Gi Lou.  
  
"He had no sense of color coordination, but I hardly remember him. I didn't have time to socialize, I was too busy with my studies," said Shayla May, fudging the past a bit.  
  
(Shayla: Color coordination? I can barely tell red from blue!)  
  
Shayla May wasn't listening to the teacher at all. She was busy eating a large red lollipop and trying to get the Grinch to look her way. She wore a large smile every time he looked at her.  
  
(Shayla: *grumbles and blushes* I want a new part!!!)  
  
(Gema: Here, have a candy cane.)  
  
(Shayla: Help!)  
  
Yu-Gi Lou also interviewed Mayor Pegasus May Who. "And if the truth be told, he liked Shayla," said Mayor Pegasus. He sat in the front of that classroom. He looked back and caught the Grinch and Shayla May making eyes.  
  
"Shayla was my girlfriend," stated Mayor Pegasus.  
  
(Shayla: *blushing brightly* WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?)  
  
(Gema: *giggles*)  
  
(Shayla: This is a nightmare!!!!!!! HEEEELLLLPPPPPPPPPP!!!!)  
  
(Pegasus: I'm sorry Celia!)  
  
"I don't like discussing this so close to Christmas, but maybe if you hear the truth, you'll understand why," said Mayor Pegasus. Then he glared at Keith, his flunky, who was polishing his shoes.  
  
(Keith: I won't do it!!! I won't!!!)  
  
(Gema: *pulls out Baka Hammer* Oh yes you will!!!)  
  
"Put your back into it!" ordered Mayor Pegasus.  
  
(Pegasus: Oh, I like this, I like this.)  
  
(Keith: That does it!!! *tries to run*)  
  
(Gema: Baka hammer!!!!)  
  
(Keith: X___X)  
  
"I tried to take him under my wing," explained Mayor Pegasus to Yu-Gi Lou.  
  
That day after school young Pegasus cornered Kaiba the Grinch, "You don't stand a chance with her, you're 8 years old an have a beard!" Keith, his ever-loyal flunky, nodded from behind him. The class started laughing, but Shayla May was glaring daggers at Pegasus.  
  
"He had hair, not pleasant. He shed, not right," stated Mayor Pegasus to Yu-Gi Lou.  
  
(Kaiba: You will pay, Pegasus!)  
  
(Gema: Trust me, he will. *giggles*)  
  
(Pegasus: I think that is my cue to leave..)  
  
That day, the Grinch walked up to Shayla May, but he stared bashfully at his toes. Shayla May was the one who did all the talking.  
  
"You know Christmas is my favorite time of year," she said, sweetly. "I just love the colors, all the red.and greens." She brushed a gloved hand against his cheek before smiling and walking off. Kaiba smiled happily.  
  
(Shayla: Now I'm a flirt?!?!?!?! This is WRONG!!!!! *turning even redder*)  
  
"Did I have a crush on the Grinch?" asked Shayla May to Yu-Gi Lou. She tried to laugh. "Of course not!"  
  
"I didn't ask you that," stated Yu-Gi Lou.  
  
"Oh..right," she stammered.  
  
"For some reason when he came home that day he really got into the Christmas spirit for the first time," said Téa Rose as he interview continued.  
  
The Grinch was raiding their house, looking for odds and ends. First he dug through the trash. "Perfect!" he exclaimed as he pulled out an odd shaped piece of metal.  
  
"Oopsies," he grinned evilly as he cleared out the silverware drawer.  
  
He also dug through their jewelry. "What a lovely family heirloom."  
  
He took it all to his room and began to create. He smashed, bashed, and rearrange. Then he went to the stove to melt it all together. "Yahoo! The fires of love!" he cried as he welded it.  
  
(Kaiba: No amount of mutt bashing is worth this.)  
  
(Shayla: *still blushing* You're only just realizing that?)  
  
"This will be perfect on the top of her tree!" cried Kaiba the Grinch as he held his metallic angel up to the light. It was pretty, not gorgeous, but pretty. "Oh Shayla! Oh Christmas!"  
  
He walked over to a mirror and his own green face smiled back. Then something hit him.  
  
He remembered his teacher's words, "I want you all to look your best tomorrow."  
  
Then, what Pegasus had said, "You don't stand a chance with her, you're 8 years old and have a beard!"  
  
An electric razor laid on the edge of the counter. The Grinch picked it up and turned it on. Then he slowly brought it to the side of his face.  
  
The next day in school...  
  
"Has everyone given their gifts?" asked Rebecca to her class.  
  
(Duke: That is too bizarre.)  
  
(Marik: This whole fic is bizarre.)  
  
"Yes," answered the class, only half listening.  
  
"I haven't," said the Grinch from the back of the classroom. He emerged from behind the coat rack with a brown bag over his head and his angel in his hands. He held it up. "Merry Christmas Shayla May."  
  
"But why do you have that bag on your head?" asked Rebecca in a tone reserved for talking to youth.  
  
"Probably because he's embarrassed by that hideous gift," cackled young Pegasus. The rest of the class joined him laughing. Everyone but Shayla May, that is, who was once again glaring daggers at him.  
  
"Mr. Grinch, please take the bag off," coaxed Rebecca. Kaiba the Grinch seemed to hesitate. "Yes you, take it off."  
  
He sighed and sat down. He propped up a large book in front of himself, then he pulled the bag off. The class tried to peer and see what he was hiding, but the book was in the way.  
  
"Put the book down," insisted the teacher.  
  
The Grinch shifted but complied again. When the book was set down his shoe had taken its place.  
  
"And your foot," coaxed Rebecca.  
  
He did and everyone saw what he was hiding. His face was nicked and cut from his lack of experience shaving. A few places he missed still had hair. The class started laughing, half doing it because they knew he was trying to hide it. Kids are often cruel like that.  
  
(Gema: How true, how true... *sob*)  
  
(Joe: I think I missed something here..)  
  
(Gema: *sniff* I need more hot cocoa...)  
  
"Look at that hack job!" cackled young Keith, which caused the class to roar even more. Even Rebecca the teacher was having a hard time repressing a snicker. The only one who wasn't laughing was Shayla May, and she was glaring each and every one of her classmates down in turn. On the other hand, Kaiba was slowly burning with more and more anger that suddenly flared without control.  
  
"Stupid present!!!" he yelled as he threw the angel he had made into the pile of presents, sending many flying and breaking half of them. The class gasped and someone screamed.  
  
Then the Grinch walked over to the Christmas tree. It was a full sized tree but nonetheless he lifted it over his head. "Stupid tree!!!" He threw it against the wall, sending the class into a chaotic panic. "I hate Christmas!!!"  
  
"The anger," commented Mayor Pegasus to Yu-Gi Lou, reflecting back on that day.  
  
His flunky turned from the manicure he was giving the mayor. "The fury!"  
  
(Keith: You will suffer!!!!!)  
  
(Gema: Baka hammer!!!)  
  
(Keith: X___X)  
  
(Téa: Was that really necessary?)  
  
(Gema: It's Bandit Keith, of course it was!)  
  
"The muscles!" exclaimed Shayla May, also looking back. There was a look of longing in her eyes.  
  
(Gema: *drools at Kaiba* You bet!)  
  
(Kaiba: Get away from me!)  
  
(Gema: *hugs* I LOVE YOU!!!!!)  
  
(Kaiba: *gasp*)  
  
(Kevin: Poor guy... He's going to spend Christmas in the hospital at this rate.)  
  
As the class fled the classroom the Grinch ran too. He looked back only once, and only Shayla May noticed the pain, the absolute sense of loss in his eyes. She walked over and dug through the pile of presents, only to find her angel smashed. She started crying.  
  
"It was a horrible day, when they were so cruel to him," reflected Shayla May. "And...I could hardly bear it." Even now she looked like she was about to cry.  
  
(Shayla: *groan* This is insanity!)  
  
(Gema: Come, join me in my madness!!! *cackles*)  
  
(All: O.O;;;)  
  
That day the Grinch ran up the side of Mt. Crumpit. "I hate Christmas! I hate it!" he cried, also holding back tears. He never really left that mountain.  
  
"And that was the last time we ever saw him. The very last time," Shayla May's words echoed with Yu-Gi Lou as he trudged home, feeling bad about the whole thing that had happened years ago.  
  
*End Flashback sequence*  
  
"So, whatever reason, his heart or his shoes, the Grinch stood there on Christmas Eve, hating the Whos," said the narrator.  
  
(Akhana: Yay! Back to me! The only one who is remotely enjoying this!)  
  
"Alphabetically.." said Kaiba the Grinch as he stood outside his front door. He opened the Whoville phone book. "Aadvarcian Abacanizer Who..I HATE YOU!!!" His voice echoed off of the mountains, scaring some birds. "Arabie Bension Who, I hate you." He started ticking through the names. "Hate hate hate, hate hate hate, double hate, loathe entirely."  
  
(Kaiba: Why do I always get the part of the nutcase?)  
  
(Gema: Because I care.)  
  
(Kaiba: Do me a favor and care less.)  
  
At that point a strain of music rose from Whoville.  
  
"Nutcrackers!" exclaimed Kaiba the Grinch. "It's their Whovillation!"  
  
"He snarled with a sneer," added the narrator.  
  
"Tomorrow is Christmas! It's practically here!" he groaned, gnashing his teeth. He threw the phone book down and raced inside. "Joe! Fetch my sedative!" he ordered.  
  
Joe quickly walked over with a large mallet. "Now to take care of those pesky memories," said the Grinch as he raised the mallet.  
  
(Kaiba: You want me to hit myself over the head with it? Not happening!)  
  
(Gema: Well, there's more than one way to skin a cat. *hugs him and he faints*)  
  
(Joe: *chortling* I was so happy I could be part of that.)  
  
(Gema: Sit boy! *crash*)  
  
(Drake: Gee, my part doesn't look so bad now.)  
  
(Gema: Oh extras! *snap* Places!!!)  
  
(Espa Roba, Mako, Rex, Weevil: *sigh* Yes..)  
  
(Gema: Now, where is Tristan and Bakura?)  
  
(Lara: They ran off some time ago.)  
  
(Gema: They forgot I control the keyboard!!!! *Bakura and Tristan appear*)  
  
(Tristan: Dang it!!)  
  
(Bakura: So close, too...)  
  
(Gema: Back on the bike, now you have a singing roll.)  
  
(Bakura and Tristan: S-s-s-singing?!)  
  
(Gema: *With Baka Hammer and hot cocoa* DO IT!!!!!)  
  
Down in Whoville all the Whos were filtering to the square. They all wore Christmas clothing, some going as far as dressing up like Christmas food. They traveled any way they could, car, bike or foot. The streets were packed. Two tandem bikes song while they waited in traffic.  
  
"Whovillation celebration with candy, cakes and pies. I can't wait to get there, to eat some fruggle fries. Whovillation, Whovillation!" cheered Tristan and Bakura.  
  
(Tristan: You will pay!!!)  
  
(Gema: I've already heard that today... I need more cocoa, I've finished this cup.)  
  
(Bakura: That is the scariest thing I have ever seen!!!)  
  
"Dad.." started Yu-Gi Lou as his family walked into the square. The five of them were dressed in outfits designed by Lara Lou Who, her theme had been Christmas foods.  
  
(Lara: My idea?! We are wearing hot cocoa..now who else would come up with that?)  
  
"Uh-huh?" asked Drake Lou, not really listening.  
  
"I've been thinking about the Whovillation, and I may do something drastic," he again tried to explain.  
  
"Okay, sure, ask your mother," shrugged off Drake Lou.  
  
"Where'd she go?" asked Yu-Gi Lou, looking around for her.  
  
"Honey! Honey!" called Lara Lou as she ran over toting a large traffic light. "Hi! Oh, look! I just found the cutest light for my Christmas display." She held it up. From where she had come from, there was the sound of a crash. "Hurry up, we're going to be late, come on." She urged her family along.  
  
"Duke Lou!" exclaimed Ishizu as she ran over.  
  
"Marik Lou!" added Mai as they embraced their boyfriends. The two of them were dressed up like a pair of candy canes. "Come on!" She started to pull Marik into the heart of town.  
  
"You said you'd watch the Whovillation with us," added Ishizu.  
  
(Ishizu: This isn't in the script!)  
  
(Gema: I thought the two of you needed more lines.)  
  
(Mai: No, no, no. No need. We are quite happy to fade into the background of this fic.)  
  
It seemed like every Who in Whoville had gathered in the square. The festival was about to begin. Shayla May was being escorted onto the stage, which had been set up in front of City Hall. She had been elected Christmas Queen of the year.  
  
(Shayla: Me?!)  
  
(Gema: Yes you, hon.)  
  
A hush fell over the audience as Mayor Pegasus stepped up to the microphone. He held up his hands and the remaining noise died.  
  
He smiled his best political smile and started talking in a tone used to talk to voters, "And now, the nominations for the Who among us who best typifies the qualities of Whodom and Whoderry. The Who! Holiday! Cheermeister!" This announcement was followed by a feverous round of applause. Keith walked besides the mayor, holding the Cheermeister trophy and wearing a big fake smile.  
  
"Do I hear any nominations?" asked Mayor Pegasus, wearing a big smile. He expected his name to be the first shouted.  
  
"I nominate the Grinch!" yelled Yu-Gi Lou.  
  
The entire square went dead silent. The crowd pulled away from the Lou Whos as if they had become leprous. Drake Lou and Lara Lou stood, completely shocked and stunned.  
  
"My, my, my, my, my," stammered Mayor Pegasus, "what an altoistic son you have there, Drake Lou."  
  
"Thank you," answered Drake Lou, nervously.  
  
"Yu-Gi," motioned the mayor. Yu-Gi nervous walked up to the stage. "Let me quote a verse from The Book of Who." He held his hand back and Keith placed the book in it.  
  
(Keith: *grumbles*)  
  
(Pegasus: *smirks*)  
  
(Gema: Oh! So you ARE one of those people who gets pleasure from torturing people.)  
  
(Akhana: Sorry, that's you.)  
  
(Gema: I don't know what you are talking about.)  
  
(Akhana: *shakes head* This fic..)  
  
"'The term 'Grinch','" read the mayor, "'when applies to Christmas spirit is in short supply.' Now tell me, does that sound like our holiday Cheermeister?"  
  
"True Mr. May Who," replied Yu-Gi Lou, politely. "But the Book of Who also says that 'no matter how different a Who may appear, he will always be welcome with holiday cheer.'"  
  
"Awwww," cooed the audience.  
  
"Well.." stammered Mayor Pegasus as he began to flip through the book. "The book also says... 'The award..cannot go to the Grinch..because..sometimes things...get lead...by.since.'"  
  
"You made that up, it doesn't say that," protested Yu-Gi Lou. The Whos eagerly watched the exchange between the Mayor and the child.  
  
"No, no, no, it does," insisted Mayor Pegasus.  
  
(Shayla: *mutters* Lousy lying politicians.)  
  
(Kaiba: *laughs* Look at him squirm.)  
  
(Pegasus: *glare* One of these days, Kaiba-boy...)  
  
(Gema: Leave him alone!!! Baka hammer!!!!)  
  
(Pegasus: X___X)  
  
"What page?" asked Yu-Gi Lou.  
  
"Ah,...umm," stammered Mayor Pegasus as he shut the book. "..Lost my place, but..it is in here." The Whos were being less convinced by the moment.  
  
"But the book also says," countered Yu-Gi Lou. "'the Cheermeister is the one who deserves a backslap and a toast, and it goes to the soul who deserves it the most.' And I believe that soul is the Grinch." He turned and faced the crowd. "If you're the Whos I hope you are you will too."  
  
"Awww..." cooed the crowd again as it broke into applause.  
  
"Fine, fine. If you people want to waste a perfectly good nomination, why, it's up to you," Mayor Pegasus tried to push it off with a laugh. He gestured to the mountain. "But I am telling you, the Grinch will never come down."  
  
"And when he doesn't, the mayor will wear the crown," chimed Keith.  
  
(Keith: *grumbles while rubbing still sore head*)  
  
"Well, more or less," said Mayor Pegasus, with fake humility.  
  
Nonetheless, the square once again broke into feverous applause. From there, they all started singing, every Who completely thrilled about the holiday season.  
  
(Gema: Well, you read it. Now, all you in the square SING!!!!!!) (All: *gulp*)  
  
(Kevin: Help!)  
  
(Drake: Anyone!)  
  
(Gema: DO IT!!!!!)  
  
(Tristan: No way!!!)  
  
(Gema: *Waves Baka Hammer*)  
  
(All: O.O;;;)  
  
(All: *sing*)  
  
Their noise was so loud and so cheery it floated up, out of Whoville and up the side of Mt. Crumpit. Sleeping deep in his cave was the Grinch. As the music entered his own home, he began to sing along in his sleep, subconsciously remembering these sounds since childhood.  
  
He woke up quite quickly when he realized what he was doing, "AAAGGGHHHH!" Kaiba the Grinch screamed. He grabbed a pillow and threw it over his head. "Blast this Christmas music! It's joyful and triumphant!"  
  
Gema: Okay, everyone, take five!  
  
All: FREEDOM!!!! *try to run*  
  
Akhana: Aww! Why did you end that there, I had lines coming up.  
  
Gema: I needed a refill on hot cocoa.  
  
Kaiba: You can't be serious.  
  
Gema: I found a cappuccino machine!!! ^___^ Guess what?  
  
Shayla: We'd rather not. -.-,  
  
Gema: French Vanilla Cappuccino and Hot Cocoa taste great in the same cup!!!!!!!  
  
Mai: Someone save us all!!!!  
  
Kevin: That is very, very disturbing.  
  
Drake: *grumbles* When I get my hands on that lousy author of mine!!  
  
Lara: He didn't even try to save us...  
  
Ishizu: If you want to find him, he's over hiding the cookies from Gema.  
  
Drake and Lara: Oh?! *run over*  
  
Alpha: *running* Tattle-tale!  
  
Tristan: *to cast* I think we'd better run while we still can..  
  
Joe: I agree.  
  
Duke: *chuckles* Nice flea collar.  
  
Joe: *grumbles*  
  
Serenity: Joe, please, let's leave.  
  
Téa: Yeah, we are. *They run*  
  
Gema: Where are you going, Seto? *hugs him*  
  
Kaiba: *gasp* Why me? *faints*  
  
Akhana: *sigh* Gema, you have to quit doing that, I'm running out of smelling salts. 


	3. The Cheermeister

Gema: *singing* Chapter 3!!! Chapter 3!!! Chapter 3!!!!!  
  
Marik: Please, just kill off my character. I'm so sick of this fic.  
  
Gema: No one dies in this one!!! *smile*  
  
Mokuba: My brother might if you don't let him go!!! *tries pulling Kaiba out of her arms*  
  
Gema: I'd never hurt him!!!!!  
  
Yu-Gi: And how do you define 'hurt'?  
  
Tristan: I'm afraid to know that answer...  
  
Joe: So, what are we going to do to get out of this?  
  
Duke: No idea, unless we can get that keyboard from her, which we can't.  
  
Kevin: There has to be something!  
  
*Girls enter*  
  
Mai: We have come up with a plan!  
  
Yu-Gi: You have?  
  
Mokuba: Please share!  
  
Téa: *Carrying a tray* More cocoa, Gema?  
  
Gema: OF COURSE!!!  
  
Lara: *smiles sweetly* Here, have another cup. *hands her another tray of cocoa.*  
  
Serenity: Don't forget the cookies.  
  
Ishizu: And the candy canes.  
  
Lara: Eat up.  
  
Joe: What the heck are you thinking?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?  
  
Mai: If she OD's on cocoa, she'll be unable to do anything more, because she'll be so fried.  
  
Tristan: That makes sense, I think.  
  
Duke: It's risky, will it work?  
  
Téa: It had better.  
  
Gema:Goodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgoo dgoodgoodgoodgoodgoodgood!!! *Continues without breathing*  
  
Mokuba: That's scary.  
  
Gema: *starts bouncing around*  
  
Marik: Everyone duck!!!!!  
  
Kevin: She can fly?!  
  
Drake: That's the sugar doing the work!!!  
  
Yu-Gi: I don't think that was a good idea.  
  
Shayla: It made things worse!  
  
Drake: Where is Alpha!!!  
  
Alpha: *eating cookies* Herff!  
  
Drake: You owe us!!! Now stop her!!!!  
  
Alpha: No can do, POF isn't due for another couple chapters. Besides, if I leave, she'll eat all the cookies.  
  
Shayla: How do I keep getting in these situations?  
  
Gema: WE LOVE COCOA!!!! SUGARSUGARSUGARSUGARSUGARSUGARSUGAR!!!!!!  
  
Kaiba: *waking up* What is going on?  
  
Bakura: Everyone run for your lives!!!!!! *massive stampede*  
  
Akhana: *sigh* You people need to sit and calm down. *Joe crashes to the ground* Oops! I didn't mean it...that time. '^__^'  
  
"Must drown them out!!!" cried Kaiba the Grinch as he turned on every noisemaker he had in his cave. Nothing worked, however. The cheery Christmas music refused to die.  
  
Outside a lone Who dared climb the summit of Mt. Crumpit to visit him.  
  
"The whipoor winds whipped high above the Who-town," explained Akhana the narrator.  
  
(Akhana: I'm back!!! Miss me?)  
  
(Joe: How is this fic continuing, I don't see Gema anywhere.)  
  
(Akhana: *points up* *Gema is on the ceiling typing*)  
  
(Bakura: That is disturbing.)  
  
(Duke: Now we know what happens when she OD's on chocolate.)  
  
(Mai: *sigh* I thought we'd wear her out..)  
  
"A trip or a slip, you'd slide all the way down," continued the narrator. "But this boy had a mission, he knew just what to do. He'd invite the Grinch himself, that brave Yu-Gi Lou."  
  
Inside the cave the Grinch was trying yet another tactic. He found a large mechanical monkey and wound it. The monkey began to clash two massive cymbals together.  
  
(Gema: Oh monkey!!! *grabs Tristan*)  
  
(Tristan: Oh no!!! No, no, no, no, no!!!!! *falls to the ground and tries to scramble away, Gema grabs him by the ankle*)  
  
(Gema: You are the only one with experience. *Drags him into the monkey as he claws at the ground trying to get free*)  
  
(Tristan: Curse you WB!!!!!!!)  
  
"Play monkey, play!" cackled the Grinch. But still the carols leaked through.  
  
"Mr. Grinch!" called Yu-Gi Lou as he knocked on the door. Yu-Gi Lou was baffled by the strange noises he was hearing inside. He doubted if Kaiba heard him knocking. "Mr. Grinch?!" He called, but then he noticed Joe's dog door in the front door. He was just small enough to wiggle through it.  
  
(Yu-Gi and Joe: Huff!!!!)  
  
"Hello?" called Yu-Gi Lou, nervously. Who myth stated that no Who came out of the Grinch's lair alive.  
  
On the lower level Kaiba the Grinch had put his head dangerously close to the crashing cymbals, trying to drown out the memories. If he leaned forward, he'd probably get a trim. Yu-Gi Lou was surprised, but it was clear the Grinch couldn't hear him. The Who boy walked over. Joe the mutt yipped as the boy walked closer, amused by the whole situation.  
  
"Excuse me," said Yu-Gi Lou as he tapped Kaiba the Grinch on the shoulder. The Grinch looked at him, then back to the monkey. He reached out and slammed the cymbals together. He held them there a moment until the entire monkey short circuited. Quite an impressive display of strength.  
  
(Tristan: Owie..)  
  
(Gema: *drooling* It is almost too much!)  
  
(All: *back away*)  
  
Kaiba snapped back and glared down at the tiny Who boy. "WHAT DO YOU WANT?!" he yelled.  
  
Yu-Gi Lou pulled an invitation out of his pocket and smiled innocently back at the Grinch. "Mr. Grinch, I came to invite you to be holiday Cheermeister." He concluded proudly.  
  
"Um...holiday who-be what-be?" asked the Grinch. He looked down at the invitation. "That's a good one!" With that he turned, leaving Yu-Gi Lou standing surprised. But the boy quickly followed him.  
  
"I know you hate Christmas," pleaded Yu-Gi Lou. "But what if it is all just a misunderstanding? I myself am having some yuletide doubts, but maybe if you can reunite with the Whos and be a part of Christmas.."  
  
Kaiba started repeating him, sarcastically as he stormed through his home. "Grow up!" he snapped.  
  
"Then maybe it will be all right for me too!" finished Yu-Gi Lou.  
  
"Your session is over, please make another appointment with the receptionist on your way out," retorted Kaiba the Grinch as he stopped by his front door, intent on throwing the Who boy out.  
  
"Please! You have to accept the award!" begged Yu-Gi Lou.  
  
"Award?" repeated Kaiba, intrigued. He turned and faced Yu-Gi Lou. "You never mentioned an award."  
  
"Yeah, with a trophy and everything!" exclaimed Yu-Gi Lou, thinking he was finally breaking through.  
  
"And I won?"  
  
"You won!"  
  
"That means there were losers," said the Grinch, a smile spreading across his face.  
  
"So if you come..." started Yu-Gi Lou.  
  
"A town full of losers!" cackled the Grinch. "I like it. Tell me, was anyone..emotional shattered." He looked at Yu-Gi Lou expectantly. Yu-Gi Lou seemed surprised by the question and didn't answer immediately. "Come on, a minute ago I could shut you up. Details!"  
  
"The mayor wasn't happy," stammered Yu-Gi Lou.  
  
"Oh, no!" gasped Kaiba, who was really holding in intense laughter.  
  
"Shayla May will be there," said Yu-Gi Lou, knowing that would attract him more than anything else.  
  
(Shayla: *turning red*)  
  
(Mai: Are you hiding something from us, Shayla? Like your real feelings, maybe?)  
  
(Shayla: NO! This is embarrassing! And that is all!)  
  
"Oh, she will?" asked Kaiba the Grinch, even more intrigued.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"And she'll see me, a winner," smiled the Grinch. Yu-Gi Lou nodded. "She'll be on my like fluggle flies on a flat-faced fluggle horse."  
  
(Shayla: I would NEVER act that way!)  
  
(Kevin: There's more of those Who words...)  
  
"Sorry to disappoint you Shayla-baby, but the G-Train has left the station!" continued the Grinch, lost in his own imagination.  
  
(Kaiba: I would never act that way.)  
  
(Gema: If you did..*whispers to him*)  
  
(Kaiba: *blushing* How.Why..Know..You..)  
  
(Gema: You're so cute when you blush!!!! *hugs him*)  
  
(Kaiba: *gasp*)  
  
"So you'll come?" asked Yu-Gi, hopefully.  
  
"Oh, all right," agreed the Grinch, a bit of reluctance still in his tone. "I don't know if it is that innocent twinkle in your eye or that non- conformist streak that reminds me of a younger less hairier me."  
  
(Kaiba: Gema, you make me sick.)  
  
(Gema: You want to know how I feel about you? ^____________^)  
  
(Kaiba: NOOOO!!!!!!!)  
  
The Grinch escorted Yu-Gi Lou until he was standing right in front of the front door. "But who knows? This Whovillation could change my entire outlook on life!" he concluded dramatically.  
  
(Kaiba: Yeah. Right.)  
  
(Akhana: Wait for it!)  
  
"Really?!" asked Yu-Gi Lou, hopefully and eagerly.  
  
"No," snapped the Grinch as pulled a cord. A trapdoor opened under Yu-Gi Lou's feet and he dropped. Yu-Gi Lou found himself racing through the trashpipe right back into Whoville.  
  
Joe walked over to where Yu-Gi Lou had last stood. He picked up the invitation and looked at the Grinch expectantly.  
  
(Kaiba: *smirks* This part has its moments, they are few and far between, but it has them.)  
  
(Joe: *charging* Let me at her!!! How dare she do that to one of my friends!!!)  
  
(Tristan: *trying to hold him back* Don't do it! *Joe breaks free*)  
  
(Drake: Poor fool.)  
  
(Gema: *clears throat* Sit! *crash*)  
  
(Lara: How many saw that coming? *Everyone raises hands*)  
  
Yu-Gi Lou landed in a snowdrift in an alley not far from the center of town. Drake Lou walked over.  
  
"There you are! Son, you can make snow angels later," Drake Lou scolded his son gently. "We're going to be late for the Whovillation." He took his son's hand and led him back into the crowd.  
  
Back above Whoville, Kaiba the Grinch ziplined back into his favorite chair. He stared at the invitation a moment. "The nerve of those Whos, inviting me down there on such short notice. Even if I wanted to go my schedule won't allow it." He activated his palm pilot. "4oclock wallow in self-pity. 4:30 stare into the abyss. 5oclock solve world hunger, tell no one. 5:30 jazz-ercise. 6:30 dinner with self, I can't cancel that again. 7oclock wrestle with my self-loathing. I'm booked!" He closed the tiny machine. "Course if I moved the loathing to 9, I'd still have time to lay in bed, star at the ceiling and slid slowly into madness.. But what would I wear?!"  
  
(Kaiba: That must be the wrong palm pilot.)  
  
(Gema: You want to join me in my madness too?! COOL!!!!!)  
  
(Kaiba: *gulp*)  
  
He hurried to his wardrobe and began going through it. "Stupid. Ugly. Out- of-date. This is ridiculous. If I can't finding something to wear I'm not going!"  
  
(Akhana: This needs my touch!)  
  
(Kaiba: Stay away from me! I've had enough with your friend.)  
  
(Akhana: I'll be nice..nicer, that is.)  
  
In the end Kaiba ended up in a slick, silky blue shirt the color of his eyes. He also found a nice pair of dark slacks. He looked at his reflection in the mirror. He considered everything for a moment.  
  
"That's it, I'm not going," he concluded.  
  
(Gema: *drooling* It's a little warm in here.)  
  
(Akhana: Maybe it wouldn't be if you'd lay off the hot cocoa.)  
  
(All: PLEASE!!!!)  
  
(Mai: *thoughtfully* If she gives up cocoa, she might turn to eggnog.)  
  
(All: O.O)  
  
(Gema: I HATE EGGNOG!!!!)  
  
In town the mayor had begun his speech introducing the Cheermeister. "Well, it's time for our holiday Cheermeister of the year award!" he finished. The crowd broke into applause/ "Congratulations, Mr. Grinch!" He made a gesture to the empty place on stage. " Oh! He isn't here! What? He didn't show? Who could have predicted this?" The sarcasm could be cut with a knife.  
  
Back in the cave Kaiba the Grinch was still torn with indecision. "All right, I'll swing by for a moment, allow them to envy me, grab a handful of popcorn shrimp and blow out of there!" he walked to the front door, intent on leaving. Then he froze. "But what if it is a cruel prank? How dare they!" Then he changed his mind, again. ".. All right, I'll go, but I'll be fashionably late. Yes no yes no yes no yes..definitely not! All right, I've made my decision! I'm going and that's that!" He reached for the door, pulling a hand out from behind his back. "Oops, had my fingers crossed!"  
  
(Kaiba: I would never be that indecisive. Business can't work that way.)  
  
Joe, getting sick of the endless one way debate, pulled the cord. Kaiba hadn't realized he had been standing on the trapdoor. He plunged down the chute on his way to Whoville, whether he wanted to go or not.  
  
"Maybe I should flip a coin!" he cried as he tumbled through the trashpipe. But it was too late, way too late.  
  
"Well," started Mayor Pegasus in town. "I guess the award goes to the runner-up."  
  
"That's right!" said Keith, enthusiastically.  
  
(Keith: I swear I will get even!!!!)  
  
(Gema: Do I need to get prayer beads for you, too?)  
  
(Akhana: I can handle him. Baka Hammer!!!!!)  
  
(Keith: X___X)  
  
"A man for whom Christmas comes not once a year, but every minute of every day," continued Keith, boot-licking. "A handsome, noble man; a man who's had his tonsils removed twice!"  
  
"Ugh," groaned Shayla May, disgusted.  
  
"That's actually an interesting story.." started Mayor Pegasus, going into story-telling mode. "You see.."  
  
(Pegasus: That is completely impossible! It can't be done!)  
  
(Kevin: Now we know why he is so rich! *snickers*)  
  
(Pegasus: What is that supposed to mean?)  
  
(Kevin: You sued the doctors for malpractice.)  
  
Mayor Pegasus was interrupted by something extremely unexpected, especially for him. The lid of the trashpipe was thrown open and Kaiba the Grinch came flying out. The momentum he had gained from spiraling down the mountain had yet to fade. He flew into a large poster that was stretched over a round rim. From there he bounced into the Whovillation banner. It stretched, then flung him forward onto stage, right into Shayla May. And by into her, I mean into her.  
  
"Woah!" exclaimed Shayla May, shocked.  
  
"Hello, Shayla," said Kaiba into her chest.  
  
(Shayla: *buries her face in her hands* I think I am going to die of embarrassment.)  
  
(Kaiba: I truly am sorry. It's all that authoress of yours fault.)  
  
(Gema: Tell me the two of you didn't enjoy that!)  
  
(Both: *blush badly*)  
  
(Shayla: I have never been so embarrassed.)  
  
(Kaiba: *mutters* There is no right way to answer that question.)  
  
"He made it!" exclaimed Yu-Gi Lou. The rest of the Whos were slowly backing away. Some not so slowly.  
  
"Yu-Gi!" protested Lara Lou as she pulled her family back.  
  
Ishizu and Mai were hiding behind their guys, looking over their shoulders curiously. Drake Lou stood in front of his family, in case of danger. Duke Lou and Marik Lou seemed unsure of what to do. Yu-Gi Lou looked ready to go greet the Grinch. Shayla May had yet to recover from her shock. Kaiba stood up and glared around the square. The crowd cringed under his intense look.  
  
"Boo," said Kaiba the Grinch. The crowd gasped and ducked back even farther. "Hot crowd, hot crowd." He turned to Mayor Pegasus. "I believe I'm here to accept an award of some kind." Everyone else tensed up, waiting for some sort of bombshell to come. "And the child mentioned a check."  
  
"I did not!" protested Yu-Gi Lou, stepping forward. His parents quickly pulled him back.  
  
"All right, give me the award," said the Grinch, impatiently. He didn't want to be there any more than they wanted him here. "Come on! While I'm young!"  
  
"Don't you worry! Mr. Holiday Cheermeister, you'll get your award," said Mayor Pegasus, recovering. He was using his best political crowd pleasing tone. He sounded way happier than he was at the moment. "But first a little family reunion."  
  
"Huh?!" gasped the Grinch.  
  
"They nursed you, they clothed you," said Mayor Pegasus, sounding like a game show host. He made a gesture into the crowd and everyone began to look around. "Here they are, you're old biddies!" Téa Rose and Serenity Rose walked forward, onto the stage.  
  
(Téa: I'm old again! *sob*)  
  
(Serenity: Did he just call us old biddies?!)  
  
(Téa: He did!!!! *both get angry*)  
  
(Pegasus: N-Now g-girls, l-let's not do anything rash!)  
  
(Téa: Get him!!!! *Serenity and Téa attack*)  
  
(Pegasus: Help!)  
  
(Gema: I'm going to allow this. I never really liked you.)  
  
"You two are still living?!" growled the Grinch in a low voice as the elderly ladies walked onto the stage wearing bright, big smiles.  
  
"Oh, we missed you!" cried Serenity Rose, nearly to tears with happiness. She began to pinch his cheeks.  
  
"Serenity! The sweater!" scolded Téa Rose. "The sweater, Serenity."  
  
"Sweater?! What are you talking about? No! I can't do this!" cried the Grinch, a bit panicky as Serenity produced a sweater from her handbag. "Don't touch me! AGH!" They held him down and threw the sweater over his head. They were pretty darn strong for being grannies. The sweater had 'I love Christmas' in big letters that actually lit up.  
  
(Téa: Gema, don't you start!)  
  
(Gema: Here, have a marshmallow.)  
  
"Put him in the Chair of Cheers!" yelled an older Who. The entire square burst into cheering as a chair on a pole was led into the center. Several Whos were carrying it on their shoulders.  
  
(Yu-Gi: Grandpa!!!)  
  
(Grandpa: What is going on?)  
  
(Gema: I gave you a part too!!!! Be merry, very merry! Very, very merry!!! Merrymerrymerrymerrymerrymerrymerrymerrymerrymerrymerrymerrymerrymerrymerrym erry!)  
  
(Grandpa: I always thought your friends were a little weird Yu-Gi, but she takes the cake!)  
  
(Bakura: Merry what?)  
  
(Akhana: Not Whats, Whos!)  
  
(Drake: Don't the two of you start again!)  
  
(Gema: Marry Kaiba!!!! *hugs him*)  
  
(Kaiba: Please..*gasp* Help...me!)  
  
"What's the Chair of Cheers?!" Kaiba demanded to Serenity and Téa. He turned to Yu-Gi Lou. "You didn't tell me about the Chair of Cheers!" The crowd cheered even louder, caught up in the excitement.  
  
"Please Mr. Grinch, please," begged Yu-Gi Lou.  
  
"No! Honestly, I can't do this! I'm not ready! It's too much too soon!" protested Kaiba, but he wasn't heard. The older Who and Odion the cop gave him a huge shove and pushed him right onto the Chair of Cheers.  
  
(Odion: I do not want to be part of this.)  
  
(Duke: Your stuck, like we all are. Deal with it.)  
  
"Yes! It's that time of year. The Cheermeister's ride in the Chair of Cheers!" announced Mayor Pegasus, still sounding like a game show host. The response was another vigorous round of applause.  
  
"Put me down! I mean it! I'll get a lawyer!" protested Kaiba the Grinch as he was paraded around the square.  
  
(Kaiba: I already have several of the best lawyers anywhere.)  
  
(Tristan: *groan* You need to lose some weight.)  
  
(Kaiba: Why?)  
  
(Bakura: Because we got 'recruited' to carry this stupid chair.)  
  
"First you'll put your taste buds to the test as you judge the Who pudding cook-off," announced Mayor Pegasus. Keith began to echo him, for effect.  
  
Kaiba sat in the cook off, forced to try all sorts of concoctions the Whos had come up with.  
  
"Christmas conga!" announced Mayor Pegasus.  
  
(Marik: That was fast.)  
  
(Akhana: This whole scene is done in time lapse. It's just an overview of what happened this evening.)  
  
(Marik: Oh.)  
  
(Joe: You'll have to excuse him, he spent the past decade underground.)  
  
(Marik: Hey!)  
  
(Joe: It's true.)  
  
(Akhana: Sit boy! *crash*)  
  
(Joe: Why did you do that?!)  
  
(Akhana: You were out of line.)  
  
The Whos danced around the Christmas tree in a large conga line, led by Kaiba the Grinch. He was quickly looking for a way out.  
  
"Gee look at the time, I really should be getting back," he said. The line shoved forward. "All right!" he exclaimed, exasperated. Shayla May watched from the side, very interested.  
  
(Téa: How could you tell, the poor girl has yet to show her face after the last scene.)  
  
(Shayla: *face still buried in hands* I will die of embarrassment before this story is over.)  
  
(Gema: No one dies in it, remember! *bursts into laughter*)  
  
"Fruitcake-lalala," said the mayor.  
  
The Grinch was once more forced to judge misguided concoctions, some which weren't even fruitcake. He was getting might sick, and the bouncing around in the Chair of Cheers wasn't help one bit.  
  
"Fudge Judge," said Mayor Pegasus.  
  
By this time the Grinch was actually beginning to enjoy himself. He was stuffed, but still he tried for more. Later he was asked to compete in the sack race against the Who youth. He quickly agreed.  
  
(Gema: I need my youths! *Mokuba and Noah appear*)  
  
(Noah: Not again.)  
  
(Gema: Yes again! Now race!)  
  
(Noah: *defiantly* And what will you do?)  
  
(Gema: *holds up hot cocoa mug*)  
  
(Mokuba: I'm running! I'm running!)  
  
It was a very close race..not! Kaiba won by a landslide. Some might have said he did it by cheating, because somehow Noah ended up in a snowdrift, but everyone was too filled with the holiday spirit to care. Shayla May was even applauding vigorously as the Grinch crossed the finish line. But she quickly brought herself under control.  
  
"I'm number one!" cheered the Grinch. "No child can beat the Grinch!"  
  
(Kaiba: I am way more mature than that.)  
  
(Drake: Whatever you think...*rolls eyes*)  
  
"And now it's time for the moment we've all been waiting for," said Mayor Pegasus as the Whos once again centered around the stage.  
  
"Ah yes! My award!" said the Grinch, smugly. "And the check."  
  
"There's no check," said Mayor Pegasus with a fake smile.  
  
"Are you sure?" he asked. Kaiba turned to Shayla May and started flirting with her. "Because I really thought I heard someone mention a check." She tried not to look like she was enjoying it too much.  
  
(Shayla: *blushes* This isn't happening. It can't be.)  
  
(Kaiba: I apologize again.)  
  
(Gema: Why are you apologizing?! You know you want to!)  
  
(Kaiba: *glare*)  
  
"I said there's no check," muttered the mayor. Then, to the crowd, "And now it's time for Present Pass-a-thon." There was another round of cheering. "As always, we start with our Cheermeister."  
  
Keith stepped forward and handed a small box to the Grinch, who accepted it eagerly. He threw off the lid, but came to a dead halt when he saw what was inside. It was an electric razor. He's eyes narrowed and his lips twisted dangerously.  
  
"The gift of a Christmas shave," announced the mayor with a nostalgic smile. He patted the Grinch condescendingly on the shoulder. Most of those Whos in the crowd who knew the story laughed. Yu-Gi Lou on the other hand looked worried. He knew this could be trouble.  
  
Kaiba turned the razor on and it buzzed in his hand. His mouth twisted into a snarl as anger slowly began to creep in. He was breathing hard and tense.  
  
"Ah yes, yes, yes, good times," said Mayor Pegasus, oblivious how mad Kaiba the Grinch was getting.  
  
Mayor Pegasus then turned to Shayla May. "And now a little something for the love of my life," he said as he held a hand back and Keith placed and even smaller box in it.  
  
(Shayla: WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!!?)  
  
(Pegasus: *speechless*)  
  
(Shayla: This is low!!! It can't be happening!!!! He's old enough to be my father!!!!!!!)  
  
(Pegasus: CELIA!!!!!!!)  
  
(Gema: Deal with it.)  
  
Mayor Pegasus dropped to one knee, "Shayla May..please become Mrs. Augustus May Who." He opened the box to reveal a very large diamond ring.  
  
(Shayla: NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! )  
  
(Pegasus: Never!!!)  
  
(Akhana: Now that you got that out, can we please continue. I'm getting bored, I need more lines.)  
  
(Joe: Want mine?!)  
  
"Gah!" gasped Kaiba the Grinch.  
  
"Pegasus..." stammered Shayla May, equally speechless.  
  
"If you agree to be my wife, along with a lifetime supply of happiness, you'll receive this.." said Mayor Pegasus. He resumed his game show voice. "It's a new car! Generously provided by the tax payers of Whoville." Keith rolled a very nice, expensive sports car into the square. "What do you say Shayla? You've got twenty seconds on the clock." The band began to count them down.  
  
(Shayla: NEVER!!! Lousy lying politician!)  
  
(Pegasus: Don't flatter yourself, as if I'd ever be interested in you.)  
  
(Gema: Baka Hammer!!!)  
  
(Pegasus: X___X)  
  
(Lara: Why did you do that?)  
  
(Gema: Like I said, I never really liked him.)  
  
Shayla May stammered, but couldn't respond coherently. The whole town looked on expectantly. Kaiba the Grinch was slowly approaching the vehicle.  
  
"Well, I...these gifts are quite dazzling..." she finally managed to stammer.  
  
A loud noise like nails on a chalkboard disrupted the silence. The Grinch had stepped up to the side of the car and was dragging his fingernail across it, leaving a large scratch right down the side.  
  
"Of course they are. That's what it's about, isn't it?" asked Kaiba in a dangerously quiet tone. Every Who sensed it, and cringed. "That's what it's always been about!" he laughed once, but then turned extremely cynical. "Gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts. The crowd gasped and cringed back, waiting for the dam to burst. They didn't have a long wait.  
  
"Do you wanna know what happens to your gifts?" the Grinch continued his rant. "They all come to me. In your garbage! You see what I'm saying? In your garbage!!!" He paced around the square, glaring them all down. "I could hang myself with all the bad Christmas neckties I've found at the dump."  
  
He turned to the mayor and pointed an accusing finger "And the avarice. The avarice never ends! I want golf clubs, I want diamonds, I want a pony so I can ride it twice get bored and sell it to make glue." He once again turned his attention back to the mass. "Look, I don't want to make waves, but this whole Christmas season is.." He got right in their faces and stared them down. "Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"  
  
Yu-Gi Lou looked incredibly worried. He had prayed this wouldn't happen, and it was.  
  
"There is however, one teeny tiny Christmas tradition I find quite meaningful," continued the Grinch. He mounted the steps to the stage and approached Shayla May. He plucked the sprig of mistletoe she had in the bosom of her dress.  
  
(Shayla: I.I...*faints*)  
  
(Gema: She's not supposed to faint yet!)  
  
(Akhana: Can't help, I used all the smelling salts earlier.)  
  
(Alpha: The show must go on!)  
  
"Mistletoe!" continued the Grinch. He held it over himself. "Now pucker up and kiss it Whoville!" He whirled around and held it over his backside.  
  
(Kaiba: Time out!!!! This is a PG fic!)  
  
(Gema: And I intend to keep it that way.)  
  
Chaos broke out among the Whos. They panicked and most started running, which only created more panic. Shayla May fainted openly.  
  
(Gema: Okay, she's unconscious now, and that's what matters.)  
  
Kaiba tightened his grip on the razor and grabbed the mayor. Before Pegasus could react, he ran the razor over the mayor's scalp, leaving a very nice, broad bald spot.  
  
"Uh-oh! Somebody's fabulous!" cackled Kaiba as the mayor stood in shock.  
  
(Kaiba: *smirking* Like it said, this part has its perks.)  
  
Kaiba jumped off of the stage, tearing the sweater off.  
  
(Gema: Oh WOW!!! *Legs give out*)  
  
(Akhana: *shakes head* What a fangirl.)  
  
The Grinch raced into the crowd, creating even more panic. Whos were running everywhere, some trying to escape, some trying to find loved ones. There was even a platinum blond Who who was using the chaos to go looting.  
  
"Oh no!" cried Yu-Gi Lou as he tried to make it to Kaiba. But Drake Lou and Lara Lou were pulling him away with his brothers.  
  
"Excuse me old timer," said Kaiba the Grinch as he walked up to the older Who. He took a bottle off of the man's neck. "Mind if I wet my whistle?"  
  
"I...well," stammered the old Who.  
  
(Marik: Oh no!!!! AGH!!!!! *Yami Marik takes over*)  
  
(All: EEP!)  
  
(Yami Marik: *laughing* Chaos! Panic! Fear! Destruction! I want to be part of it!)  
  
(Gema: Okay! Stunt double! *Kaiba and Yami Marik trade places*)  
  
(Kaiba: I'm free!!!!!)  
  
(Gema: You're mine! *hugs*)  
  
(Kaiba: *gasp* Why do I bother? *faints*)  
  
The Grinch quickly chugged down the entire contents of the bottle.  
  
"Hey!" protested Grandpa Motou Who. "That's my good stuff!" Yami Marik the Grinch threw the empty bottle back at him. It hit the ground and shattered.  
  
The Grinch turned to the big central Christmas tree. He produced a lighter that was the size of a large blowtorch. Using the alcohol emissions on his breath, he created a wave of fire which ignited the tree. Yu-Gi Lou watched, horrified, like every other Who. Shayla May was slowly coming to.  
  
(Gema: Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire!)  
  
(Duke: She's a pyromaniac?!)  
  
(Akhana: Yup. But it is only a minor obsession.)  
  
(All: O.O)  
  
(Tristan: I think we should run while we still can!)  
  
(Téa: Agreed! *they run for their lives*)  
  
"Burn baby! Burn!" cackled the Grinch, Yami Marik, and Gema, all in unison. They were enjoying every moment of the fire. The Christmas tree turned to ash within seconds.  
  
"Oh, wow..." muttered Shayla May, who was still in a bit of a daze.  
  
"Oh the humanity!" cackled the Grinch as he disappeared into the crowd, looking for more mischief to cause.  
  
"Let's go!" insisted Drake Lou as he tried to get his family out of harms way. "Come on!"  
  
"No wait!" protested Yu-Gi Lou, but it was in vain.  
  
"Calling all units! Calling all units!" said Odion into the radio in his police car.  
  
"Do something!" Mayor Pegasus snapped at Keith, at a loss for ideas for himself.  
  
"Right!" replied Keith.  
  
(Keith: I won't do it!!!! I won't!!! No threats can make me!!!!!)  
  
(Gema: Come on, Akhana.)  
  
(Akhana: Right! *they grab Keith, hold him down, and shave him bald.*)  
  
(Keith: AGH!!!!!)  
  
(Akhana and Gema: Baka Hammer!!!)  
  
(Keith: X___X Why?)  
  
(Akhana: We don't like you!)  
  
(Kevin: You might cause permanent brain damage.)  
  
(Akhana: No danger with this one!)  
  
(Gema: If he would have listened to us, he would have only lost a strip of hair.)  
  
Mayor Pegasus looked over at his flunky, who had just shaved himself. The mayor shook his head. Keith had no ability whatsoever to think for himself.  
  
"Taxi!" ordered Yami Marik the Grinch as one drove by. The cab drive (played by Bakura) drove on past him as fast as he could. "It's because I'm green! Isn't it!?"  
  
The Grinch stepped into the street and held a hand out to stop a vehicle. It turned out to be one owned by a very small Who, not more than half a foot tall (played by Tristan). "Evening, mind if I ride along?" asked Yami Marik the Grinch who was already sitting down. "You might want to scooch over." Tristan hightailed it out of there as fast as he could. "You did the right thing!"  
  
(Tristan: I am so sick of being yanked all over the place.)  
  
(Bakura: *hyperventilating* Me..too...)  
  
(Yami Marik: *cackling* More destruction!!!!!!!)  
  
The Grinch took of in the tiny car, weaving through crowds of terror- stricken Whos. They were running everywhere and anywhere.  
  
"Out of the way! Hey!" yelled the Grinch as he raced through them. He hit a dip in the road and went airborne. When he landed he hit a patch of ice and started doing doughnuts, vehicle completely out of control. The car finally stopped when it collided head first with a fire hydrant.  
  
Yami Marik slowly picked himself off of the snowy street. Then he noticed the unmistakable smell of gas leaking. He jumped and started running. "It's going to blow!!!"  
  
BOOM!!! A huge explosion rocked the streets, fire spreading to the tops of house. There was much screaming and panic, and some burning.  
  
(Yami Marik: *cackling* More!!!! Hahahahahahahahahaha!)  
  
(Gema: Baka Hammer!!!)  
  
(Yami Marik: X___X)  
  
(Akhana: Baka Hammer!!!!!)  
  
(Yami Marik: X______X)  
  
(Odion: Why did you do that?)  
  
(Kevin: I thought you liked the fire.)  
  
(Gema: Fire good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ^___^)  
  
(Drake: Don't even try to understand her.)  
  
(Gema: I don't like him!)  
  
(Akhana: Neither do I. Once more for good measure?)  
  
(Gema and Akhana: Baka Hammer!!!!!)  
  
(Yami Marik: X____________________X)  
  
Eventually the cops managed to bring everything under control. Whos were slowly returning to the square. The Grinch had yet to be found. The ashes of the tree remained a sad reminder of what had just happened.  
  
Kevin the hat shop owner walked over to Odion and his equally exhausted partner. "You fellows all right?" he asked. "How about a nice hat?"  
  
(Kevin: *sigh* I'd complain, but I've seen what everyone else has had to do.)  
  
Mayor Pegasus walked over to the tree and faced the Lou Whos. The stragglers left in the square gathered around. "Drake Lou.. I'm hurt Drake Lou. I'm hurt and I don't hurt easily."  
  
(Drake: This coming from my adopted dad..)  
  
(Pegasus: Blame Gema.)  
  
(Drake: Don't worry, I have.)  
  
(Gema: *sitting on ceiling again and singing*)  
  
(Joe: So much for her running out of energy.)  
  
(Mai: What goes up has to come down.)  
  
"But you and your...and your family," said Mayor Pegasus in a let down voice "I'm so.. disappointed." He directed the last comment right at Yu-Gi Lou. "Can we just get back to Christmas the way it should be? Grinch-less!" Keith had walked over and held the Cheermeister crown in his hands. Mayor Pegasus snatched it.  
  
He turned to the crowds. "Merry Christmas!" he began to greet them with a big fake smile.  
  
"I just wanted everybody to be together for Christmas," said Yu-Gi Lou, sadly. Drake Lou and Lara Lou put their arms around him and began the walk home with the rest of their family.  
  
"I rather enjoyed that. I hope I get another invite soon," chuckled Kaiba the Grinch. He was at the trashpipe, about to return home.  
  
(Kaiba: Why do I still have to do this? That evil spirit was doing fine.)  
  
(Gema: Because you're my favorite character.)  
  
As the Grinch watched from the alley, the Whos paraded another tree into the middle of the square.  
  
"Come on!" called Tristan.  
  
"Thank goodness we had a spare," agreed Bakura as the Whos resumed their holiday celebrations.  
  
"Suffering snorkleblasts! They're relentless!" cried Kaiba the Grinch. He hit the button on the side of the chute and returned home.  
  
Gema: Yay!!! Another chapter done!!!!  
  
Akhana: I need more lines.  
  
Everyone else: We need fewer lines!  
  
Gema: Party poopers.  
  
Tristan: You expect us to enjoy this torture?!?!  
  
Gema: Of course!  
  
Drake: I think it is echidna season. I'm going hunting!  
  
Lara: I'm joining you!!!  
  
Akhana: My, my, what bitterness.  
  
Gema: Drink cocoa!!! It's sweet!!!  
  
All: NO!!!  
  
Gema: But not as sweet as something else. ^___^  
  
Joe: And what would that be?  
  
Gema: Him!!!! *Hugs Kaiba*  
  
Kaiba: *gasp* My ribs!! *faints*  
  
Duke: I am so glad she doesn't like me.  
  
Gema: I do! I just like Seto better!!! ^___^  
  
Duke: *gulps*  
  
Tristan: Let's get out of here!  
  
Bakura: We've tried and tried!  
  
Gema: Try cocoa! This stuff is caramel flavored!!!  
  
Shayla: And what did you put into it?  
  
Gema: Nutmeg, cocoa, cinnamon, candy canes, whipped cream, marshmallow fluff, marshmallows, vanilla, cocoa, cinnamon, an Easter bunny, and more cocoa.  
  
Drake: That does it. We're doomed.  
  
Gema: *sip* I'm seeing stars!!!!!!  
  
Mai: I knew it had to be spiked!  
  
Gema: NOT EGGNOG!!!!!!  
  
Téa: No one mentioned eggnog.  
  
Yu-Gi: I don't think she heard you.  
  
Mokuba: I don't think she can hear you.  
  
Noah: Now that is a sugar high! 


	4. Christmas

Gema: *sitting on ceiling* Chapter 4! Chapter 4! And you came back for more!!! Chapter 4!  
  
Téa: *sweatdrop* So much for trying to tire her out.  
  
Joe: How does she manage to stay up there?  
  
Mai: Sugar and nothing but. I think she OD'ed again.  
  
Duke: Have you actually seen what she is drinking?! *holds up Gema's entire cocoa mug by the spoon*  
  
Yu-Gi: Oh my gosh! That cocoa is like glue!  
  
Gema: It's my good stuff!  
  
Drake: That is beyond disturbing.  
  
Lara: I think you could use that hot cocoa to hold walls together.  
  
Kevin: Has anyone seen Tristan?  
  
Bakura: He's in hiding.  
  
Joe: Hopefully he's smarter than last year.  
  
Kevin: What do you mean?  
  
Drake: He tried hiding under the hot cocoa table.  
  
Lara: I think someone should call an ambulance.  
  
Mai: Why?  
  
Lara: I don't think Seto Kaiba should be that shade of blue.  
  
Gema: *hugs him* He'll be okay. ^_____^  
  
Bakura: Oh no!!!! *Yami Bakura takes over*  
  
Yami Bakura: This is poorly titled. It's already chapter 4 and nothing has been stolen! *pouts*  
  
Akhana: You want there to be more theft?  
  
Yami Bakura: OF COURSE!!!!  
  
Gema: I have an idea!!!!  
  
Duke: Everyone run!!! *most do*  
  
Gema: *snaps fingers and Yami and Yami Marik appear*  
  
Yami: What is going on?!  
  
Yami Marik: More destruction!!!  
  
Gema: Now, sing!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Yami: What?!  
  
Gema: *laughing* The Yami Barbershop Quartet! SING!!!!!  
  
Akhana: You only have three yamis.  
  
Gema: .... I can fix that! *snaps fingers and Shadi appears*  
  
Shadi: Huh?  
  
Gema: SING!!!!  
  
Yami: He's not an alter-ego.  
  
Gema: Close enough! SING!!! I want carols! NOW!!!!!  
  
Yami Bakura: Why should we?  
  
Gema: I control the keyboard and a Baka Hammer!!!! *evil laughter*  
  
Shadi: I do not like this.  
  
Gema: You have no choice!!! SING MY QUARTET!!!!  
  
Alpha: It's official, she's flipped.  
  
Akhana: Yup.  
  
Alpha: You'd better start the fic before this gets any worse. *cringes as the quartet starts singing out of fear*  
  
"Only 4 hours to Christmas!" announced the timekeeper. (Gema: Oh Tristan! There you are!!!)  
  
(Tristan: How did you find me?! I stayed away from the hot cocoa table!)  
  
(Gema: You were under the candy cane table!)  
  
(Shadi: Help!)  
  
(Alpha: Let me get this straight.. You ran out of parts, so you invented this quartet just to shove the remaining characters in?)  
  
(Gema: Yup! Now SING!!!!!)  
  
(Yami Marik: I want to destroy something...)  
  
(Akhana: Focus people!!! *waves Baka Hammer*)  
  
(All: *gulp*)  
  
"Yes, the Grinch knew tomorrow the Who girls and boys would wake bright and early and rush for their toys," said Akhana the narrator.  
  
"And then, oh the noise!!!" groaned Kaiba the Grinch as he steamed and paced outside of his cave. "Oh the noise! Noise! Noise! Noise!" He was livid.  
  
(Kaiba: Ouch..My chest hurts to move.)  
  
(Téa: It wouldn't surprise me if Gema cracked a rib or two.)  
  
(Kaiba: Ow..)  
  
"They'll bang on Ton-Tinglers," explained the narrator as she glared at the cast, daring them to interrupt her. "They'll blow their Who-Flounders. They'll crash on Giant Jinglers and bounce on Boing-Bounders." The Grinch could recall each of these toys clearly, and the sounds they made even more so. "Then Whos, young and old would sit down to a feast. And they'd feast and they'd feast..."  
  
"And they'll feast! Feast! Feast! Feast!" steamed the Grinch, stamping his feet. "They'll feast on Who pudding and rare who roast beast! That is something I just can't stand in the least." His eyes opened wide in horror "Oh no! I'm speaking in rhyme! AGH! Blast you Whos!!!" His cry of anguish echoed off of the mountain.  
  
(Kaiba: *mutters* Blast you authoress...)  
  
"And the more the Grinch thought about this whole Christmas thing, the more the Grinch thought..." continued Akhana.  
  
"I must stop this whole thing! Why for year after year I've put up with it now! I must stop Christmas from coming!" he stormed to his front door. "But how? Uh! I mean.in what way!" His lips curled into a snarl at the lingering effects of his Who inheritance.  
  
He threw open the door to his home, only to be greeted by a rather unwanted surprise. Joe had gotten into the CD player and had started 'Christmas is Going to the Dogs.' The mutt was dancing around the cave, having fun while Kaiba the Grinch was away. Kaiba stood in the doorway, glaring at him. Joe stopped, not sure what to do.  
  
(Joe: Gema!!!!!!! GGRRRRR!!!)  
  
(Gema: SIT! *crash* You may rabies or something..)  
  
(Joe: *to Akhana* Why are you letting her do this?)  
  
(Akhana: Because she promised me a killer Christmas present! ^______^)  
  
"Are you having a holly, jolly Christmas, Joe?" asked the Grinch, tensely. Joe gave a nervous smile and nodded yes.  
  
"WRONG-O!!!" yelled Kaiba. He picked Joe up by the collar and threw him out into the snow. Joe sank in deep. Then Kaiba the Grinch grabbed the doghouse and threw it out after him.  
  
Kaiba stormed outside and stood over the snow bank, looking down at Joe. Joe cringed. "If you're not going to help me, then you might as well.." The Grinch took a second look at his dog and the snow which covered his face like a beard and hat.  
  
"Then he got an idea," explained Lady Akhana, "a wonderful idea, an awful idea. The Grinch got a wonderful, awful idea."  
  
"I know just what to do!" cackled the Grinch as he raced inside. He grabbed a pair of scissors and some red fabric and started cutting.  
  
"The Grinch laughed in his throat, then he made a quick Sant-y Claus hat and a coat," narrated the narrator. "And he chuckled and clucked at this great Grinch-y trick.."  
  
"Why with this coat and this hat, I'll look just like St. Nick!" laughed the Grinch.  
  
(Gema: It's time!)  
  
(Kevin: Time for what?)  
  
(Gema: Time for the classic Grinch song!!!! Now I want to hear everyone!!!)  
  
(All: *run*)  
  
(Gema: *snaps fingers and they all reappear* That includes the extras!)  
  
(Mako: Why us?)  
  
(Gema: Now sing!!!!)  
  
(All: Errmmm..)  
  
(Gema: NOW!!!)  
  
While the cast was forced to sing, Kaiba the Grinch constructed a fully automated Santa sled with every latest feature imaginable.  
  
You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch. You really are a heal, you're as cuddle as a cactus and as charming as an eel, Mr. Grinch! You're a bad banana with a  
greasy black heel.  
  
You're a monster, Mr. Grinch. You're heart's an empty hole. Your brain is  
full of spiders you've got garlic in your soul, Mr. Grinch! I wouldn't  
touch you with a 39 ½ foot pole!  
  
You know if you asked the Whos down in Whoville, they won't deny it.  
  
You're a vile one, Mr. Grinch, You have termites in your smile. You have  
all the tender sweetness of a seasick crocodile, Mr. Grinch! Give the  
choice between the two of you, I'd take the seasick crocodile!  
  
(Gema: That was fun!!! *laughs*)  
  
(All: Someone save us!!!!!)  
  
By the time Kaiba the Grinch had finished with his sled it was late in the evening. He snuck out to the ledge outside his cave. Joe walked behind him. Kaiba held up a pair of binoculars and watched the Who town. Everyone was a sleep, not a light lit the windows. The Grinch focused on the real Santa, who was waving good night.  
  
(Kaiba: Yeah. Right.)  
  
(Akhana: Do it for the kids.)  
  
"Fat boy should be finishing up any time now," the Grinch muttered to himself. "Talk about a recluse. He only comes out once a year, and he never catches any flak for it! Probably lives up there to avoid taxes."  
  
"Merry Christmas!" waved Santa Claus (played by Tristan) as he rode out of town.  
  
"Oopsies! Forgot about the reindeer!" said Kaiba the Grinch as he focused on Santa's sled.  
  
"The Grinch looked around, but since reindeer were scarce there was none to be found," said Akhana the narrator. "Did that stop the old Grinch? No..."  
  
"If I can't find a reindeer, I'll make one instead," stated Kaiba as he glanced over at Joe. Joe, sensing danger, turned tail and ran.  
  
"Oh Joe!" called the Grinch with mock politeness. "JOE!!!"  
  
"So he called his dog Joe then he took some red thread and tied a big horn on the top of his head," explained the narrator.  
  
Kaiba looked down at Joe, "All right, you're a reindeer. Here's your motivation. Your name is Rudolph. You're a freak with a red nose and nobody likes you. Then, one day Santa chooses you and you save Christmas," explained Kaiba, taking on the tone of a director. "No, forget that part, we'll improvise. Just keep it sort of loosey-goosey. You hate Christmas! You're going to steal it! Saving Christmas is a lousy ending. Way too commercial." He leaned back. "Action!"  
  
Joe stared blankly at him for a moment, then pulled off the big clown nose that had been shoved on him.  
  
(Kaiba: How pointless..)  
  
(Joe: How demeaning...)  
  
"Brilliant!" exclaimed the Grinch. "You reject your own nose because it represents the glitter of commercialism. Why didn't I think of that?! Cut, print, take the cake, moving on." He walked away.  
  
(Drake: I guess that's what happens when you live alone for too long, you begin to lose your mind.)  
  
(Kaiba: Watch it!)  
  
(Gema: Hot cocoa! Cocoa hot! Cot hocoa! Hocoa cot!)  
  
(Lara: Or you could just loose your mind by drinking too much cocoa.)  
  
Kaiba began to fire up his sled. The engine roared to life. Flames shot from the exhaust pipe. It shuddered and shook and slowly began to rise off of the ground.  
  
"Here goes nothing, hot dog. Wow!" he revved the engines and the flames rose more. The sled started to inch forward. Kaiba the Grinch started laughing. "This is nuts!" he cackled.  
  
The sled suddenly shot forward like a rocket. It raced down the slope in an out-of-control spiral. The sled tumbled over and over again, the hover- boosters keeping it from crushing them.  
  
"We're going to die! We're going to die!" whined Joe the mutt, forgetting he was supposed to be silent (gets glared at by authoress). "I'm going to throw up, and then we are going to die! Mommy, tell it to stop!"  
  
Kaiba began to hit buttons on the dashboard. The sled stabilized itself. The vibrating decreased as the sled slowed to a more reasonable speed. It began to coast into town. It came to a perfect stop in the middle of the deserted square.  
  
"All their windows were dark, quiet snow filled the air," said Akhana. "The Whos were all dreaming sweet dreams without care. When he came to the first little house on the square."  
  
"Welcome to Whoville, Joe," muttered the Grinch as he got out of the sled.  
  
Inside the nearest house Drake Lou groaned in his sleep and woke up. "Huh? Did you hear something, Lara?" he asked, shaking his wife slightly.  
  
Lara Lou quickly thought of an answer, "It's Santa! Go right back to sleep!" she said eagerly.  
  
"Right!" agreed Drake Lou with a big smile on his face.  
  
(Lara: Oh brother.)  
  
(Drake: We aren't that naive.)  
  
(Akhana: Whatever you say...)  
  
(Drake: What is that supposed to mean?!)  
  
"Come Joe, this is our first stop," said the Grinch as he crept up their roof.  
  
(Kaiba: You actually want me to break and enter.)  
  
(Gema: Well, DUH!)  
  
(Yami Bakura: *eagerly* Theft?!)  
  
(Gema: We have another stunt double! *Yami Bakura and Kaiba trade places*)  
  
(Kaiba: Thank goodness! *Gema hugs him* Maybe...not..)  
  
(Ishizu: I wonder why he is so interested in stealing the festivities.)  
  
(Akhana: It could have something to do with the fact that I told him there was a Millennial Item hidden somewhere in town...)  
  
(All: -.-;)  
  
(Alpha: Well, this is my cue, too.)  
  
(Duke: Cue for what?)  
  
(Alpha: Cue to find POF. *leaves*)  
  
(All: THANK THE LORD!!!!!!!!)  
  
(Drake: I'm not done with you yet!!!!)  
  
(Akhana: I can't see why you'd want to leave now.)  
  
(Drake: What do you mean?)  
  
(Akhana: Well, you and Lara are sharing a room.)  
  
(Drake and Lara: *blush*)  
  
(Gema: *oblivious to everything else* Kaiba cute!)  
  
(Kaiba: *Faints*)  
  
(All: -.-;)  
  
"Come on Joe, this is our first stop," said Yami Bakura the Grinch.  
  
"The old Grinchy Claus hissed and he climbed to the roof empty bags in his fists," added Akhana the narrator. "He slide down the chimney, a rather tight pinch, but if Santa could do it so could the Grinch. He got stuck only once for a moment or two, then he stuck his head out of the fire place flue where the little who stockings were all hung in a row."  
  
"These stockings," chimed the Grinch.  
  
"He grinned," added the narrator.  
  
"Are the first thing to go," finished Yami Bakura. He pulled out a container of ravenous moths. "Okay fellows, chow time." The moths quickly turned the stockings to ribbons, the presents falling to the floor.  
  
Meanwhile, the Grinch had slipped back to his sled and pulled out a large vacuum hose. He slipped it down the chimney and sucked in anything that wasn't nailed down. On the ground Joe watched as the bags slowly filled.  
  
(Odion: *to Joe* You know I could arrest you because of association.)  
  
(Joe: You wouldn't!)  
  
(Tristan: Of course he wouldn't, he isn't a real cop, after all.)  
  
(Odion: *glares*)  
  
(Joe and Tristan: EEP!)  
  
"Then he slunk to the ice box. He eyed the Whos' feast. He took the Who pudding, he took the roast beast. He cleaned out the icebox as quick as a flash. Why that Grinch even took their last can of who hash!" explained the narrator. "Then he stuffed all the food up the chimney with glee."  
  
"And now," said Yami Bakura the Grinch.  
  
"He grinned," added Lady Akhana.  
  
"I will stuff up the tree!" he cackled.  
  
"And the Grinch grabbed the tree and he started to shove when he heard a small sound like the coo of a dove," chimed the narrator.  
  
(Gema: Switch back! *Kaiba and Yami Bakura switch place*)  
  
(Yami Bakura and Kaiba: What did you do that for?!)  
  
(Gema: Only for a moment! *sweat-drop*)  
  
"Excuse me," called a very sleepy Yu-Gi Lou.  
  
"The Grinch had been caught by this tiny who daughter, who got out of bed for a cup of cold water," explained the narrator.  
  
(Yu-Gi: I am NOT a daughter! It's bad enough you keep calling me short!!!!)  
  
(Gema: It was the only thing that rhymed, sorry.)  
  
"Santa Claus, why, why are you taking our Christmas tree, why?" asked Yu-Gi Lou, naively innocent.  
  
"But you know, that old Grinch was so smart and so slick, he thought up a lie and he thought it up quick," explained Akhana.  
  
"Why my sweet little tot," said Kaiba the Grinch.  
  
(Kaiba: *grumbles*)  
  
"The fake Santa Claus lied," added Akhana.  
  
"There's a light on this tree that won't light on one side. So I'm taking it back to my workshop my dear. I'll fix up there and bring it back here," lied Kaiba the Grinch.  
  
Yu-Gi Lou smiled, then burst out, "Santa, what's Christmas really about?"  
  
"Vengeance!!!" snapped Kaiba, then he remembered who he was playing. "I mean..presents, I suppose."  
  
"I was afraid of that," sighed Yu-Gi Lou.  
  
"And his fib fooled the child. Then he patted his head, and got him a drink, and sent him to bed," described the narrator.  
  
"Santa?" asked Yu-Gi Lou as he paused on the stairs.  
  
"What?!" snapped the Grinch, annoyed by the delay.  
  
"Don't forget the Grinch," requested Yu-Gi Lou. "I know he's mean and hairy and smelly. His hands may be cold and clammy." Kaiba glared daggers at the boy, which went unnoticed. "But I thinks he's actually kind of .. sweet."  
  
"Sweet?!" asked Kaiba in disbelief. Then, nicer, playing the part of St. Nick, "You think he's sweet?"  
  
Yu-Gi Lou nodded. "Merry Christmas, Santa." The Grinch groaned at those words. Yu-Gi Lou returned to his room and shut the door.  
  
"And when Yu-Gi Lou went up with his cup.."  
  
"Nice kid, bad judge of character," muttered Kaiba.  
  
"He went to the chimney and stuffed the tree up," finished the narrator.  
  
(Gema: STUNT DOUBLE!!!)  
  
(Yami Bakura: Goodie! *Yami Bakura and Kaiba trade places*)  
  
"The last thing he took was the log for their fire" said Lady Akhana. "On their walls he left nothing but hooks and some wire. And the one speck of food he left in the house was a crumb even too small for a mouse."  
  
{In time lapse} Yami Bakura the Grinch slipped into every house, leaving each one completely empty.  
  
"Then he slithered and slunk with a smile most unpleasant around each who home and he took ever present," said Akhana the narrator.  
  
"Clearance sale, everything must go!" he cackled with glee.  
  
When he reached Shayla May's home, he made double sure he swiped the engagement ring, which was sitting on her bed table. One other stop is worth mentioning.  
  
(Gema: Switch back!)  
  
(Kaiba: Why?)  
  
(Yami Bakura: Yes, why?)  
  
(Gema: DO IT! *They switch places*)  
  
Mayor Pegasus was as asleep as the rest of the Whos. He was having a rather pleasant dream. He was also talking in his sleep. Shayla, have you ever kissed a man who had his tonsils taken out twice?"  
  
(Shayla: GROSS!!!!!!!!! *blushes* This is humiliating to have my name used like this!!!!)  
  
"No, silly," answered Kaiba the Grinch, mimicking Shayla May. "But it is an experience I have always longed for."  
  
Mayor Pegasus was puckering up in his sleep.  
  
(Pegasus: *To Gema* You are sick you know that, just sick.)  
  
Kaiba grabbed a cactus off of a nearby table and held it to the mayor's mouth. He'd have an..interesting time shaving the next morning.  
  
(Duke: *dryly* How amusing.)  
  
(Joe: How childish.)  
  
(Akhana: Would you rather do what Jim Carey did in the movie?)  
  
(Joe: And what was that?)  
  
(Akhana: *whisper*)  
  
(Joe: LET ME AT THAT AUTHORESS!!!!!)  
  
(Gema: SIT!!!! *Crash* You'll never learn... Okay, Yami Bakura, you're back in!)  
  
(Yami Bakura: YES!!!)  
  
The Grinch threw the cactus into his sack, then he connected a cable from the end of the mayor's bed to something ^_~ outside.  
  
Soon night was threatening to wane into morning. The Grinch was just finishing his night of theft. The sled was packed to the max. Before he got in, he twisted on light bulb off of the main tree, short-circuiting the rest of the town. Then he hopped into his sled next to his mutt and fired the engines. The sled started to hover.  
  
(Gema: Seto, you're on!)  
  
(Kaiba: Why me?)  
  
(Gema: Because you're awesome!!!!!!!)  
  
(Mai: That's the hot cocoa talking.)  
  
The Grinch was laughing maniacally was the sled started. But with a sputter it died and crashed to the ground. Joe barked and placed a paw on the dashboard.  
  
"Out of gas!" snarled the Grinch. Joe started chuckling. Looks like the heist wasn't as flawless as possible. "What are you laughing at, Rudolph?" He glared at his four-footed companion, then booted him out of the sled.  
  
Up the slope of Mt. Crumpit Joe pulled the sled, weighted down by all the stolen goods.  
  
"It's all you, Joey!" cackled Kaiba.  
  
(Joe: This...Is *gasp* cruel and unusual.)  
  
(Kaiba: *laughing* Mush!)  
  
(Joe: I'd kill you if I had the energy...)  
  
(Gema: SIT!!!!! *crash* Don't threaten my man!!!!)  
  
(Kaiba: *sweat drop*)  
  
"3,000 feet up, up the side of Mt. Crumpit he rode with his lode to the tip top to dump it," said Akhana the narrator.  
  
Kaiba jumped out of the sled happily. "We did it!!!" he laughed as he danced. He turned to his mutt, "That wasn't so bad, was it Joe?" Joe looked up at him, then collapsed from exhaustion.  
  
"They'll be just waking up, and I know just what they'll do," snickered the Grinch. "Their mouths will hang open a moment or two, then they'll all cry, Boo-who!"  
  
In Whoville, in deed, the Whos were just waking up. They slowly wandered around the square in a silent stupor. They all seemed shocked to find everything missing. Dazed and Confused looks abound.  
  
(Gema: All Whos, on stage! NOW!!!!)  
  
(Mai: *sigh* There really is no use arguing...)  
  
"What an embarrassment!" exclaimed Odion as he jumped out of his house and into his car. "I've been robbed!" He put it into gear and pulled away, not noticing the cable which ran from his bumper into the nearest house.  
  
The cable went taunt as the cop car pulled away. With one solid lurch, it pulled Mayor Pegasus' bed behind it. (Hence the ^_~ earlier.) The..problem was that the mayor was still sleeping in it at the time. He was pulled through his own window, into the street, and paraded around the square for all to see. Odion stopped the vehicle. The mayor's bed fishtailed, then stopped to. Mayor Pegasus looked dazed, but, being a good politician, he recovered quickly.  
  
"Mayor May Who! Oh dear!" gasped Odion.  
  
It didn't take long for Pegasus to size up the situation. "Well, I wonder who could have done this?" He looked from blank face to blank face. "I tell you people one thing. Invite the Grinch, destroy Christmas!" He started to get really mad. He turned to his bed and pounded on it. "Invite the Grinch, destroy Christmas!!!" He calmed himself down a few hairs. "But did anyone listen to me?"  
  
"I did!" chimed Keith the flunky.  
  
(Keith: *grumbles*)  
  
(Gema: *Waves Baka Hammer* Don't make me!)  
  
(Keith: *cowers*)  
  
(Akhana: Looks like he is finally learning.)  
  
"No!" said Mayor Pegasus, in the tone someone uses to make others feel guilty. "You choose to listen to a little not to be taken seriously boy! Who hasn't even grown into his nose yet." He glared at Yu-Gi Lou like a parent who discovered a child had a bad report card. "Yu-Gi, I hope you are very proud of what you've done."  
  
Yu-Gi Lou looked down sadly. Pegasus shook a finger at him, unable to say more. His brothers were slowly scooting sideways, to escape the town's gaze.  
  
"If she isn't I am!" stated Drake Lou as he stepped forward. The town gasped in surprise, Drake Lou even seemed a bit taken back himself. "I'm glad he took our presents."  
  
"What?!" gasped Rex Who.  
  
"Well, I'm glad," responded Drake Lou, shrugging his shoulders and smiling slightly. Duke and Marik nodded behind him, supporting him because that is what families do.  
  
"Glad! You're glad that everything is gone," said Mayor Pegasus, in a tone somewhere between sarcasm and temper. "You're glad that the Grinch virtually wrecked, no pulverized Christmas. Is that what I am hearing from you, Drake Lou?" He glared at him.  
  
"You can't hurt Christmas," stated Drake Lou, returning the glare with a condensing look that adults often give immature children. "Because it isn't about the gifts or the contests or the fancy lights. That's what Yu- Gi Lou has been trying to tell everyone." He turned to his son and looked down proudly. "And me, he's been trying to tell me."  
  
"What is wrong with you?" asked the mayor, disdainfully. His tone sounded like he was talking to a simpleton. "This is a child." Keith nodded in agreement.  
  
"He's my child," said Drake Lou, firmly. "And he happens to be right, by the way." A murmur rose through the crowd as it began to dawn on them, too. "I don't need anything more for Christmas than this right here." He put his arms around his wife and sons. "My family." The crowd murmured their approval. "Merry Christmas, everybody!"  
  
Every Who began to greet their neighbor. Smiles began to spread across their faces. It was truly becoming a Merry Christmas.  
  
Lara Lou turned to her husband wearing the brightest smile of all. "Merry Christmas you hunk of burning Who!" with that she grabbed him and the two fell to the ground, making out.  
  
(Gema: They look like they are going to be busy for a while.)  
  
(Téa: Lara, that's enough.)  
  
(Mai: Talk all you want, they won't listen.)  
  
(Kevin: Must they do that in public?)  
  
Duke and Marik seemed slightly (okay, more than slightly) embarrassed by their parents display. They were slowly slipping away. Mai and Ishizu found them.  
  
"Merry Christmas, honey!" greeted Mai.  
  
"And Merry Christmas to you, to!" replied Marik as he hugged her.  
  
(Joe: *steaming mad*)  
  
(Akhana: Sit boy! *crash*)  
  
"Sorry your present got swiped," apologized Duke.  
  
"That's okay, I have you," smiled Ishizu as she put an arm around his shoulder.  
  
(Duke and Ishizu: *glare*)  
  
(Gema: Awwww!!!! They are all in their pajamas! How cute!!!!!)  
  
(Marik: Why do we bother?)  
  
Yu-Gi Lou had also slipped away when the romance had started. He went over to the trashpipe and slipped in it. Soon he was at the dump, the on the trail to the Grinch's lair. "Mr. Grinch! Mr. Grinch!" he called, happily. Christmas finally made sense to him.  
  
(Gema: Where is my quartet?)  
  
(Akhana: Running.)  
  
(Gema: I want music!!!! *snaps fingers and they appear*)  
  
(Shadi: What is the meaning of this?)  
  
(Gema: SING!!!!!!!!)  
  
(Yami Bakura: I refuse!)  
  
(Gema: Baka Hammer!)  
  
(Yami Bakura: X___X)  
  
(Gema: Anyone else refuse?)  
  
(Quartet: *gulp*)  
  
(Gema: NOW SING!!!!!!!)  
  
"And now for the final note in my symphony of downright nastiness!" laughed the Grinch at the pinnacle of Mt. Crumpit. "The crescendo of my odious efforts!" He began to push the sled, still loaded, over the cliff. "The wailing and gnashing of teeth! The bellowing of the bummed out! It will be like music to my ears."  
  
(Kaiba: Can we dump the mutt, too?)  
  
(Joe: Hey!!!!)  
  
(Gema: Hmmm...I'll get back to you on that.)  
  
(Joe: You wouldn't dare!)  
  
"The Grinch paused, and he put a hand to his ear," said the narrator. "And he did hear something rising over the snow. It started in low, then it started to grow."  
  
"Huh? What?" gasped Kaiba the Grinch. It was a carol that he heard.  
  
"But the sound wasn't sad, it sound sort of..glad," said Akhana the narrator. "Every Who down in Whoville, the tall and the small, were singing without any presents at all. He hadn't stopped Christmas from coming; it came.  
  
"Somehow or another, it came just the same!" steamed Kaiba. Joe quickly looked for the nearest hiding spot.  
  
"Mr. Grinch!" called Yu-Gi Lou as he approached the opposite side of the sled.  
  
"And the Grinch, with his Grinch feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling," said the narrator.  
  
"How could it be so?!" he agonized. "It came with out ribbons, it came without tags, it came without packages, boxes, or bags!"  
  
"And he puzzled and puzzed until his puzzler was sore, then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before," explained Akhana.  
  
"Maybe Christmas," started Kaiba, the look of an epiphany dawning on him.  
  
"He thought," added Akhana.  
  
"Doesn't come from a store," he said, amazed. "Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more." He raised a hand to his chest and, for the first time, felt his heart pounding away.  
  
"And what happened then, well in Whoville they say, that the Grinch's small heart grew three sizes that day," said the narrator.  
  
(Gema: It's too much!!!!! *hugs Kaiba*)  
  
(Kaiba: Urk! My...Ribs...)  
  
(Akhana: Not now, Gema.)  
  
(Gema: Hey! Stay out of this or I keep your present!)  
  
(Akhana: Dang it!)  
  
(Joe: This present had better be good, letting her torture us like this.)  
  
(Akhana: Oh, it is. ^__~)  
  
"What's happening to me?" asked the Grinch, feeling things he had never felt before. "I'm all toasty inside."  
  
Joe, sensing a change in him, walked over and jumped onto his chest in dog fashion.  
  
Joe, snickering, "BONSAI!!!!!!"  
  
Kaiba the Grinch gasp in surprise (and pain), "My..ribs..ow.."  
  
(Gema: SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT! *multiple crashes*)  
  
(Joe: Owie...)  
  
(Gema: PAWS OFF!!!!!)  
  
A cold winter breeze blew and a low creak was heard. The mutt and the Grinch looked up. The sled was swaying dangerously close to the edge of the cliff. It rocked, about to go over at any moment.  
  
"Oh no! The sleigh! The present! They'll be destroyed!" gasped Kaiba the Grinch. "What is the deal?! Wait!" He raced to it. "This can't happen! It shouldn't, it couldn't, it mustn't, it wouldn't!!! Not now, not then, not ever again! NO!!!"  
  
He dove and caught it by the back bumper. Then he dug his feet in and tried to stop it. But the sled was inching forward. Joe was keeping his distance, but he was barking his encouragement.  
  
"Oh well, it's only toys, right," said the Grinch as he could feel it slipping from him.  
  
"Hi! Mr. Grinch!" greeted Yu-Gi Lou, who had climbed to the very top of the mountain of stolen goods.  
  
"Yu-Gi Lou!? What are you doing up there?!" cried the Grinch, feeling fear for the first time. Not for himself, but for the boy.  
  
"I came to see you. No one should be alone on Christmas," smiled Yu-Gi Lou, innocently. Kaiba the Grinch smiled back. It was his first genuine smile, not fueled by happiness, but by joy. Then the sled lurched forward, half leaning over the cliff.  
  
"NO!" gasped Kaiba as he doubled his efforts to halt it.  
  
"EEK!" gasped Yu-Gi Lou as he felt it going over the edge.  
  
The Grinch, fueled by power he never knew he had, slipped under the sled and began to lift it. He lifted it straight up over his head. "I gotcha, Yu-Gi Lou!"  
  
"You did it!" cheered Yu-Gi. Even Joe was barking happily.  
  
(Gema: WOW!!! That is too much! *legs give out*)  
  
(Akhana: What am I going to do with you, fangirl?)  
  
The sled was soon set right and zipping back to Whoville. Kaiba was skiing behind it. Joe was barking like the puppy he was. Yu-Gi Lou was steering. The whole lot of them were laughing and smiling. The Grinch rounded a curve and flew back into the sled.  
  
"Are you all right?" asked Yu-Gi Lou as Kaiba righted himself.  
  
"Are you kidding?" laughed Kaiba. "The sun is shining and the powder's fresh! Now scoot over, it's my turn to drive!" He grabbed the wheel. Then he looked up and saw Whoville rapidly approaching them. "I'd better slow this buggy down!" He reached for the brake, but it snapped under the pressure.  
  
"We're going to crash!" gasped Yu-Gi Lou.  
  
"Now you listen here young man, even if we are horribly mangled, there will be no sad faces on Christmas," scolded the Grinch. Yu-Gi smiled. Nonetheless, Whoville was dangerously close.  
  
"Help!" called Yu-Gi Lou.  
  
The Whos noticed the rapidly approaching vehicle and even more quickly they raced out of the square, which is where it was heading. It entered the city, taking out a low string of garland while it was at it.  
  
(Gema: Okay, Lara, let Drake breathe. You need to play heroine now.)  
  
"Yu-Gi Lou?!" gasped Lara Lou when she recognized the cry of her son.  
  
"Grinch?!" gasped Shayla May, when she too realized what was going on.  
  
(Shayla: Must you?!)  
  
(Gema: Yes, I must.)  
  
"My baby!" gasped Lara Lou as she formulated a plan quicker than any man would have. She raced to the nearest house and pulled off a string of lights. Shayla May ran over. "Shayla, here, grab an end!"  
  
"By the way, these lights match your outfit perfectly," commented Shayla May. It was her way of being polite.  
  
(Lara: *grumbles* I'm in a bathrobe.)  
  
(Shayla: Bathrobes are not meant for outside winter-wear!)  
  
"Uh oh! This could be a little more difficult to negotiate," said Kaiba the Grinch as he tried to steer the out-of-control sled away from fleeing Whos. "Out of the way! I have no insurance!"  
  
Lara Lou and Shayla May stretched their string of lights across the street in the way of the speeding sled. They clotheslined it perfectly. But, it still had moment, pulled both women off their feet, and continued to drag them behind it. They refused to let go, though.  
  
Drake Lou, seeing his wife and son were in danger, stood directly in front of them and held out a hand. As the sled came to him he placed his hands on the front bumper and dug his feet in, trying to further slow it down. He was pushed ahead of it as his wife was drug behind. The sled was approaching the Christmas tree.  
  
"Daddy! Move!" begged Yu-Gi Lou.  
  
The sled was coasting. Drake Lou was being pushed into the tree. The sled finally stopped. Drake Lou let out a breath he had realized he had been holding.  
  
(Shayla: That was wrong! I have snow in place that should never know what snow is!)  
  
(Lara: Why can't snow be warm?)  
  
"Thanks for the help Drake Lou," commented Kaiba the Grinch.  
  
"Hi, Daddy!" greeted Yu-Gi Lou, eagerly.  
  
"Hi, Yu-Gi, son," replied Drake Lou, still sounding a little shaken.  
  
"Merry Christmas, one and all!" greeted the Grinch as he stood up.  
  
"Oh! It's him!" cooed Téa and Serenity, happily and proudly.  
  
"Mommy!" called Yu-Gi Lou as he ran to Lara Lou.  
  
"Ho! Ho! Ho!" chuckled the Grinch, still in his Santa costume.  
  
"All right, what do we have here?" demanded Odion as he walked over.  
  
"You got me officer," admitted Kaiba the Grinch as he jumped out of the sled, causing the crowd to gasp. "I did it. I'm the Grinch who stole Christmas. And I'm sorry." He held out his hands, ready to be arrested. Téa and Serenity looked concerned, but proud nonetheless. Odion seemed a tad stumped at what to do.  
  
"Aren't you going to cuff me? Put me in a chokehold? Blind me with pepper spray?" asked Kaiba.  
  
Mayor Pegasus walked over, glaring icicles at the Grinch, "You heard him officer. He admitted it." He whispered to Odion, "I'd go with the pepper spray." Kaiba glared at him, indignant.  
  
"Yes, I heard him all right," agreed Odion. "He said he was sorry." The Whos cooed at the comment and display of mercy. "Besides, it looks like everything is here and accounted for." Odion began to survey the sled.  
  
"Help me out here people," said the mayor as he looked around for support. His eyes fell on Keith, but he knew better. "Shayla?!"  
  
"Merry Christmas Pegasus May!" called Shayla. She was on top of the sled, rummaging through the loot. She slid down with a box in her hand. "I'm afraid I do have something for you." She smiled at the Grinch, then shoved the box into Pegasus's hands. "Your ring back." She smiled at the Grinch again. "Sorry, but my heart belongs to someone else."  
  
(Pegasus: I'm saved!!!!!!)  
  
(Shayla: Well....I guess it's better than before.)  
  
(Kaiba: Thanks a lot..)  
  
Kaiba did a double take and Shayla nodded. "YES!" he cheered.  
  
"No hard feelings," said the Grinch as he extended a hand to Pegasus. They shook hands and Kaiba began laughing, "Cheer up, it's Christmas!" The whole town cheered.  
  
"Merry Christmas, Mr. Grinch," said Yu-Gi Lou as he took Kaiba's hand. "Your hand is so.."  
  
"I know," sighed Kaiba the Grinch, "hairy."  
  
"No.."  
  
"What? Greasy? Smelly?"  
  
(Kaiba: You'll be hearing from my lawyers, Gema!)  
  
(Gema: I'd rather hear from your pastor!)  
  
(Kaiba: *gulp*)  
  
"No, warm," smiled Yu-Gi Lou. Kaiba the Grinch smiled back. Yu-Gi Lou started singing.  
  
(Gema: Now I want to hear everyone, and I mean everyone!)  
  
(All:...)  
  
(Gema: NOW!!!!!!)  
  
(All: *sing*)  
  
That night there was a great feast in the Grinch's cave.  
  
"So he brought back the toys and the food for the feast, and he, the Grinch himself, carved the roast beast," said Akhana the narrator.  
  
Tristan: Well, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. *down a cup of hot cocoa.*  
  
Bakura: The story is over!  
  
Tristan: *twitch* *twitch* Dang! *twitch* *twitch*  
  
Kaiba: Thank goodness! My ribs can't handle any more.  
  
Drake: I have an author to murder!!!!!!  
  
Duke: Lay off the killings until after Christmas.  
  
Lara: It wasn't all bad, Drake. ^_~  
  
Kevin: I could have had a much worse roll. *looks at Joe* Much worse.  
  
Joe: Hey!  
  
Akhana: SIT! *crash*  
  
Joe: Why did you do that?  
  
Akhana: For old time's sake.  
  
Marik: I refuse to show up next year!  
  
Shayla: Now that is a plan.  
  
Akhana: *laughing* fat chance!  
  
Ishizu: I am curious, what is this Christmas present you are getting.  
  
Duke: Yeah, the one you let us all suffer for.  
  
Akhana: ^________^  
  
Mokuba: Well...  
  
Gema: Here it is! Gift wrapped too!  
  
Akhana: Yay!!! *Gema hands Akhana Yami, who has a bow on his head*  
  
Yu-Gi: She promised you Yami?!  
  
Akhana: YUP!!!!! ^_______^ *hugs*  
  
Yami: Help!  
  
Akhana: I got you something too, Gema.  
  
Gema: Yay!!!! Mistletoe!!!!!  
  
Kaiba: I'm out of here!!!!!! *runs*  
  
Gema: You aren't getting away from me!!!!! *chases*  
  
All: -.-;  
  
Drake: Well, the fic is over, so that means Alpha should be showing his face again.  
  
Kevin: Where'd he go?  
  
Alpha: *enters* Here I am! And so is POF!  
  
Mai: Great timing...not!  
  
Serenity: Why didn't you help us?  
  
Alpha: And miss the joy of watching you learn about hot cocoa fics?!  
  
Téa: I'm young again! Yay!!!!!  
  
Shayla: It's the simple things that make people happy..  
  
Gema: *holding Kaiba, who is turning blue* And, as Tiny Tim (or Tiny Yu-Gi, depends on what version you are reading) said, "God bless us, every.." ZZZ *falls asleep*  
  
Mai: I knew it! I knew she was due for a sugar low!  
  
Ishizu: Next time, we overdose her quicker.  
  
Akhana: *holding Yami* From all of us on POF; Gema J. Gall, Lady Akhana, Moonlady, Demon Child, Dark Fox & Fox Demon, E-100 Alpha, Star, Diamondlance, Pharaoh Light & Pharaoh Dark, Master of Dimensions, Bakurakrazie, Imp is Insane, Demon of Shadows, Kitty Tigri, Cloud Dragon, Seadragon1012, Livi, and Phantom 1, as well as the Yu-Gi-Oh! cast; Yu-Gi, Yami, Joe, Téa, Tristan, Duke, Mai, Serenity, Bakura, Yami Bakura, Odion, Ishizu, Marik, Yami Marik, Pegasus, Mokuba, Seto, Shadi, Rex, Weevil, Mako, Espa, Noah, Rebecca, Keith, Drake, Lara, Kevin, and Shayla.  
  
All: MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! *starts singing carols*  
  
The End 


End file.
